DISEASES know no borders. The coronavirus pandemic has impacted every country around the world. We are all having to change the way we live and work as we battle the biggest crisis of our generation.

These extraordinary challenges call for an extraordinary global response. It is at such difficult times that friends must stand together — and there is no better example of international friendship than the deep ties between the UK and Pakistan.

The UK is working at home and internationally to stop the disease and mitigate its impacts. We are learning how to respond by considering its threat to our health, our economy, and our social cohesion. We have adopted widespread social distancing in the UK since March 16, staying at home to protect our National Health Service and save lives. Our science-led action plan is to contain, delay, research and mitigate against the virus. With over 27,000 deaths from the virus, we hope that we have now passed the peak.

In Pakistan, we are repurposing our multi-million pound DFID aid programme to focus on Covid-19. This includes providing immediate health and humanitarian assistance to detect the virus, boost local health systems, and protect communities. This builds on our long-term support for polio monitoring which, under Dr Rana Safdar, has made Pakistan a world leader in Covid-19 surveillance.

By working together we can beat this terrible virus.

Just as all countries are protecting health systems and managing the economic impact of lockdowns, we also recognise the deep impact that Covid-19 has had on the economy of Pakistan, affecting the poorest in society including those dependent on daily wages.

Following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s appeal, the UK was instrumental in convincing G20 finance ministers to include Pakistan among the countries eligible for a suspension in debt payments this year; we are encouraging other finance institutions to increase support for Pakistan. We have a track record of providing critical economic support through our DFID aid programming to help those who need it the most including through assistance to the Ehsaas programme and backing the growth of local small and medium enterprises. We will keep doing more to assist.

Internationally, our priority is to build a partnership to find a safe and effective vaccine that is made available to all — especially the most vulnerable — around the world. To accelerate the development of a global coronavirus vaccine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the G20 Summit committed record funding of £250 million to international research on the disease to the Centre for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

We are also making the best use of the UK’s first-class research, expertise and facilities with British scientists at front and centre of this global response. On Thursday, April 23, Oxford University started the first phase of human safety trials and are developing partnerships with global manufacturers to enable delivery of the vaccine around the world.

Finding a vaccine is the first step — ensuring that we can distribute it to everyone is the next and as important. Which is why the UK is also one of the largest supporters of the World Health Organisation, including in Pakistan, and to Gavi, the Global Vaccine Alliance, which distributes vaccines in the poorest countries. We have recognised this by pledging £1.65 billion this week to Gavi to help keep immunisation programmes going across the world, as well as helping countries like Pakistan respond to the pandemic. Pakistan is the largest recipient of Gavi support with around 84 per cent of its assistance in Pakistan going to vaccines. This pledge will help protect up to 75m children in Pakistan and around the world against deadly diseases.

All of this requires an unprecedented global effort with countries working together with neighbours and across borders to fight this common enemy. The UK will co-host the Coronavirus Global Response Initiative with other international donors on May 4 to raise funding for research and development into vaccines, effective treatments and better testing; as well as a Global Vaccines Summit on June 4, aiming to raise a further £7bn for Gavi’s important work. We look forward to welcoming Pakistan to this summit.

The UK and Pakistan stand together in these difficult times and I am confident of Pakistan’s capability to beat the coronavirus. I pay tribute to all those in the UK and Pakistan, particularly front-line healthcare workers, who are working day in, day out to protect lives, safeguard communities and fight this disease.

In the holy month of Ramazan the personal challenges of Covid-19 will be difficult. Yet the Ramazan spirit of compassion, charity and community feels more important than ever this year. Although we are socially distancing, we are coming together; and it is by working together that we can beat this terrible virus.

The writer is the British high commissioner to Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2020