MAKKAH — Muslim World League (MWL) has launched a number of aid initiatives, covering 16 countries and international organizations to mitigate the effects of coronavirus pandemic, as part of its urgent response plan consistent with the measures of the United Nations, the World Health Organisation and the governments of the target countries. Commenting on the initiatives, MWL"s official spokesman Abdulwahab Al-Shihry, who is also the director of information and communication department, said the organization has laid out a comprehensive plan to alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 on the epidemic-hit countries in Asia, Africa and Europe. Al-Shihry said the MWL"s offices around the world have been instructed to launch the first phase of the aid initiatives. Governments of the respective countries have been asked to implement these programs and the League has made sure that their implementation is carried out. These initiatives include direct financial aid, medical equipment for centers and hospitals, health, preventive and educational supplies, and food aid for the vulnerable groups that are affected most by the preventive measures. The spokesperson said that the second phase includes providing government hospitals dedicated to treat coronavirus patients in the target countries with special beds in their intensive care units, monitoring devices and the measurement of vital signs, ventilators and oxygen cylinders with medical accessories, medical bags containing sterilizers and as well as sterilizing government buildings and institutions. He pointed out that the third phase of the initiatives aims to support governments in adhering to the measures recommended by the World Health Organization to combat the spread of the pandemic by providing food to poor and disadvantaged communities. It is noteworthy that the first phase of the organization"s initiatives includes Pakistan, Kashmir, South Africa, Malawi, Senegal, Chad, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Spain and Italy. — SPA