International health experts on Wednesday agreed the outlines of a global strategy to tackle the spread of bird flu that the World Bank has estimated would cost up to $1 billion over three years.
Wrapping up three days of talks, World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Lee Jong-Wook said the strategy covered minimising the virus threat at source in animals and humans, strengthening early warning systems, strengthening veterinary services, improving countries' pandemic preparedness, making access to anti-viral drugs fairer and more reseach into pandemic vaccines.
"This meeting had identified a series of integrated actions that will start straight away," he said.
"Investments are urgently needed at the national level, potentially reaching $1 billion over the next three years."
He also highlighted improved communication to the public as a priority and said a donor mechanism should be put in place.
A donor conference is set for January 17-18 in Beijing.
The World Bank has proposed a financing framework, which it said would be focused on funding "country-owned programmes" to combat the spread of the H5N1 virus, which has killed more than 60 people in Asia and led to the culling of 150 million birds.
The World Bank has said its package would contain both grants or interest-free loans for countries, while half of the $1 billion needed will be funded by a trust financed by donors.
NEW BIRD FLU DEATH FEARED Earlier, an Indonesian teenager was feared to have become the 65th person killed by bird flu. The news of another death blamed on bird flu came as health experts meeting in Geneva put the finishing touches to a strategy to halt the spread of the deadly H5N1 virus.
An initial test showed a 16-year-old girl who died this week had bird flu, an Indonesian health ministry official said.
"The test result showed positive, but we're still waiting for confirmation from Hong Kong," Hariadi Wibisono, a senior official at the health ministry, told Reuters.
The victim lived in an East Jakarta suburb near a bird market and had chickens and pet birds in her house. However, no evidence of contact with an infected bird has been established.
VIETNAM SAYS ROCHE TO LET IT MAKE TAMIFLU
HANOI: Vietnam has agreed in principle with Swiss drug maker Roche to manufacture Tamiflu, the frontline medicine against a feared global influenza pandemic.
"Vietnam will be authorised to produce Tamiflu by Roche, which will help the country acquire sufficient quantities of the medicine in order to face up to a bird flu epidemic," said Cao Minh Quang, director of the health ministry's department of pharmaceutical products management on Wednesday.
"Roche will however choose which Vietnamese companies will be able to produce the drug," Quang told AFP.
The Swiss firm's officials in Vietnam did not confirm the comments but said they had held positive talks, which would continue with the ministry.
In the meantime, Roche has also agreed to supply Vietnam 25 million capsules of Tamiflu before the end of 2006.
"Roche will cooperate with Vietnam in order to supply sufficient amounts of Tamiflu in case of a pandemic," Quang said.
Quang said Tamiflu production could begin in two months but he did not specify the quantity. Late last month he had said Vietnam could even decide to produce the drug without a licence should a pandemic occur.
Comments
Comments are closed.