November 4, 2005—Funds from a new World Bank US$300 to $500 million avian flu program are expected to start flowing to countries within weeks to help them combat the deadly virus. The Bank is now finalizing its plans for the new funding program, while at the same time preparing to take part in an international conference in Geneva on avian flu in poultry and birds and planning for a possible human pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Bank are co-sponsoring the meeting from November 7 to 9, at WHO headquarters in Geneva. The Bank’s Vice President for Operations Policy and Country Services, Jim Adams, says the Geneva meeting is designed to allow donors and the international organizations to sit at the same table as affected countries and identify needs at the country level. Adams, who’s leading the Bank’s delegation to the conference, says the aim is to begin work on putting country programs in place to deal with avian flu, which would then be eligible for funding.
“We’re actually working very closely together with the UN system - with WHO, FAO and OIE - to work jointly to help countries put in place these needs assessments so that the technical requirements are properly identified, so countries can put together programs,” Adams says. As a first step, the Bank is preparing to go to its Board with its own financing mechanism – worth up to US$500 million dollars – to help countries in the initial phase. “We have the financial resources to move quickly,” Adams says. “Obviously one of the things we can do is provide funding to support these country programs – to supplement government resources, to strengthen the veterinary systems and to put in place culling and vaccine programs for animals.” Another component Adams says will be funding to strengthen the health systems of countries for surveillance, which must be integrated with the animal side. Adams says the funding mechanism – similar to that used by the Bank for funding its AIDS programs in Africa – would allow low- income countries immediate access to grants and soft loans from the Bank’s lending arm, the International Development Association. Mobilizing Other Donors However the plan for funding for countries extends beyond that. “Given the global threat and the global implications of this, one of the things we also see ourselves doing is mobilizing grant funding from other donors,” Adams says. “Now to the extent those donors then want to substitute for the Bank funding, we’ll obviously welcome and encourage that.” “But I think the important role that Bank resources can play upfront is to be available immediately.” Adams says he expects the funding plan to go before the Bank’s Board of Directors, right after the Geneva meeting. “If that’s approved, then we hope within the month to move forward with this operation to provide funding on a global basis.” Multi Donor Trust Fund The Bank is discussing with donors like the European Commission, as well as the WHO, FAO and OIE, the setting up of a multi donor trust fund with the specific aim of supporting country level activities to combat avian flu. “The European community has taken the lead in this and we expect to meet in Beijing in January. By then we hope to have specific proposals for the structure of a funding mechanism,” Adams says. “It may well be that some countries are prepared to commit funds before then. But we hope by early next year to have that trust fund available. “ In parallel, the Bank is supporting funding for our partner organizations in the UN for their priority needs. But he says the move to establish a global trust fund highlights the importance of the Bank moving forward now “so that in the interim period, funding is available to countries with good investment proposals.” Key Strategies Adams says he expects initial funding from the Bank would go to some countries in Asia as well as in Europe. “I think with the spread of the disease and the instances of the disease that have emerged, both in Russia, Turkey and Moldova, we’re seeing interest from Europe as well.” Adams says it’s important in dealing with the disease in animals to move quickly and effectively. “One of the things that we learned from Korea and Japan was the aggressive action of those two governments in dealing with the problem has in fact eliminated the problem in those two countries.” Compensating Farmers He says key elements in helping countries cope with avian flu outbreaks among animals is improving access to veterinary services and providing proper compensation for culling and for farmers reporting cases of avian flu. “Another experience from programs to date is that if governments provide proper compensation for culling programs, and identify outside of those culled areas, the areas that have to be vaccinated, then those programs are successful. “Obviously for farmers – particularly poor rural farmers – this is their income. If they are properly compensated and paid an appropriate market price for their animals, culling programs will be successful. If they’re not properly compensated, experience shows, they’ll find another way of getting animals to market and the problem will expand. “And experience shows if you get the animal side right, one substantially reduces the risk of a human pandemic.” Overall Adams stresses that the problem of avian flu is “not a problem simply this year.” That’s why he says strengthening veterinary systems needs to be done, and adequate surveillance systems put in place over the longer term to deal with the potential threat to people. “We hope by combining short term interventions and longer term institutional development we can essentially deal with the problem more broadly.” |
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