$1 bn needed to contain bird flu: WB study

A World Bank analysis has indicated that the global requirement of funds for combating avian influenza would potentially reach $1 billion over the next three years.

This does not include funds needed for human and animal vaccine development, production of anti-viral medicines and compensation to farmers for the loss of income due to slaughtering of birds infected or threatened by the bird flu virus.

"The minute there are more regions or countries with animal outbreaks or human-to-human transmissions, the funding needs will increase hugely", World Bank Vice-President (Operations) James Adams said at a meeting of experts from various countries and concerned global organisations, held in Geneva to chalk out a strategy for tackling the bird flu menace.

The World Bank was ready with a strong business plan to present at its donors' financial conference to be held in Beijing in mid-January, he indicated.

According to the information available with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the meeting set out key steps that must be taken to cope with the threat to human beings from the H5N1 bird flu virus which is currently circulating in birds in Asia and has also been identified in parts of Europe among the migratory birds.

Besides, the meeting supported an urgent resource request for $35 million to fund high-priority actions by the FAO, the WHO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) over the next six months.

The FAO and the OIE have identified key priorities for action in the next six months. These include evaluating and strengthening veterinary services, laboratories and surveillance capacity in countries already affected by the bird flu and those at risk.

The overall bird flu management strategy prepared at the Geneva meet included plans for controlling the virus at source in birds; stepping up surveillance; preparedness for rapid containment of a pandemic; development of integrated country plans; and transparent mechanism for communicating information about a disease outbreak or its risk.

It called for support and training of personnel for the investigation of animal and human cases. Pandemic containment plans needed to be prepared, tested and kept ready for rapid implementation.

The strategy included components like conducting a global pandemic response exercise, strengthening the countries' capacity of health systems and training clinic staff and health department officials. Factual and transparent communication system was a must to support any strategy for bird flu management.