World Bank expands global flu fund by $500 million

The World Bank on Tuesday approved $500 million for an existing global influenza fund to help developing countries implement measures that prevent and control threats posed by the new H1N1 flu virus.

The line of credit will be used to top up the Global Program for Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response (GPAI), a fund set up in January 2006 to fight the spread of bird flu.

"In light of the uncertainties surrounding the future spread and severity of flu outbreaks, we feel that it is important to provide countries with rapid support to respond to pandemic threats, and to build up their capacity to prevent and control zoonotic diseases," said Jeff Gutman, the World Bank's vice president for operations.

The Bank said the fund will fast-track money to help governments buy medicine and equipment, pay for hospital care and public information campaigns, strengthen human and animal monitoring, and try to limit the economic damage caused by such outbreaks.

The newly-discovered H1N1 flu strain is a mixture of swine, bird and human viruses and remains most prevalent in North America, but has infected nearly 19,000 people in 64 countries, according to the U.N. World Health Organization.

Within days of the outbreak of the H1N1 virus in Mexico in April, the World Bank approved more than $205 million, with $25 million for drugs and supplies and another $180 million for disease surveillance, laboratory testing and other operations.

Rakesh Nangia, World Bank's H1N1 coordinator, said many developing countries were ill-equipped for a potential pandemic and the H1N1 outbreak reinforced the need to strengthen health systems.

"Many developing countries are not well-prepared to confront a potential pandemic, either in terms of their contingency plans, their ability to access medicines and vaccines, or the strength of their health systems," Nangia added.

"Under the current circumstances, the world cannot afford to drop its guard," Nangia said.