NEW YORK (WCBD) – Global superstar Madonna has donated $1 million to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Therapeutics Accelerator program.

The singer says the money will be used in an effort to find a drug that will prevent or treat COVID-19.

“We need this to protect our health workers, the most vulnerable, and all of our friends and families,” said Madonna in a message on her website.

Madonna said she has been impressed by the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator’s urgent efforts to find new or existing drugs that could effectively prevent or treat the disease.

“Harnessing the strength and knowledge of the research community, the Accelerator’s critical scientific progress will inform how we end this pandemic and prevent future impact from the virus,” she said. “I send enormous gratitude and strength to the courageous first responders, medical professionals and scientists who are protecting our communities, those suffering and our most vulnerable.”

According to the gatesfoundation.org, there are two trials starting that will use a form of chloroquine and a ‘drug with a slightly different structure,’ hydroxychloroquine. Click or tap here to read more about the trials.

“I cannot express enough the importance of people taking this virus seriously,” said Madonna in a video posted to Instagram. “It has now taken the lives of friends and people that I know and love, and I now feel more inspired than ever to do everything that I can to make a difference for our global community.”

The music icon said she’s had enormous respect for Bill Gates and the work that he has done throughout his life and said he warned us of a global pandemic back in 2015. “I wish to God we had listened,” Madonna said.

Madonna went on to say it’s not too late to fight the outbreak and if we start taking a serious, consistent approach to shut the virus down we will end the pandemic sooner rather than later.

Madonna recently had to cancel the final leg of her ‘Madame X’ World Tour due to the coronavirus pandemic.