Rich nations urged to donate to fight bird flu
The Star, 19 Jan 2006

BEIJING (Reuters) - International organizations urged donors on Wednesday to open their wallets to support a global fund to combat bird flu at a conference in Beijing the World Bank hopes can raise at least $1.2 billion. 

A toddler in Indonesia died on Tuesday and was being tested for bird flu and Turkey confirmed its 21st human case, underscoring the urgent need to raise money that will be used to help improve veterinary and health services in poor countries. 

"The amount asked for is small compared to the cost of a pandemic we are not ready for," U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the conference's official opening in an address by videolink. 

The H5N1 virus mainly infects birds but has already killed about 80 people since 2003 and scientists fear it is only a matter of time before it mutates into a form that can pass easily between people, sparking a human pandemic. 

In the past month the virus has also spread to Turkey, bringing the disease that had previously hit East Asia hardest to the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Asia. 

The World Bank has offered a $500 million line of credit towards its fund-raising target and its president, Paul Wolfowitz, said more resources were urgently needed. 

"We know from experience that if the international community does not support these control measures now, the potential cost to the world will be much higher in the long term," he said. 

"Past outbreaks have already cost more than $10 billion in economic losses," he told the conference by videolink. 

By comparison, the Bank has estimated that a bird flu pandemic lasting a year could cost the global economy up to $800 billion. 

 

The European Union has offered $120 million and conference host China, hit by some 30 outbreaks of bird flu in poultry last year and at least five human deaths, said it would give $10 million. 

But there were few details on other contributions and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged further donations from rich countries. 

"Avian influenza prevention and control are now a priority of the international community," Wen Jiabao told the conference. 

"The developed countries, international organizations such as the World Bank and major companies should play a bigger role in fund-raising. We hope they will make active donations," he said.