The US$34.4 million loan will finance the World Bank's third avian flu prevention, preparedness and response operation in the Europe and Central Asia region  WASHINGTON DC, April 25 - The World Bank approved yesterday a US$34.4 million loan to minimize the threat posed to humans by avian flu in Turkey. The loan will support prevention, preparedness and planning as well as response and containment of the disease.
Turkey’s Avian Influenza and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project is the third of its kind in the Europe and Central Asia region. Earlier this year, the World Bank also agreed to make available US$5.1 million to help finance avian flu measures in Azerbaijan and US$4 million in the Kyrgyz Republic. Four children have died of the H5N1 strain of avian flu in eastern Turkey in January, the first human casualties outside East Asia. Although there have been no new human cases of the disease since January 13 and most victims were infected after close contact with sick birds, the fatalities have had a negative impact on tourist bookings to Turkey and badly hurt the country’s poultry industry. Turkey has reportedly culled 2.27 million poultry across the country in an effort to halt the spread of the disease. A comprehensive plan “If a major pandemic is to appear due to this influenza, air travel might hasten the spread of a new virus and decrease the time available for preparing interventions. Countries’ health care systems could be rapidly overwhelmed, economies strained and social order disrupted,” said Andrew Vorkink, the World Bank's Country Director for Turkey, when the AIHP project was approved. “The World Bank is happy to help Turkey in this project, which will also give assurances to visitors that Turkey has a comprehensive plan to help stop the spread of future bird flu outbreaks”.
Even in countries that have seen no avian flu outbreaks, World Bank experts have urged governments to draft contingency plans and communication strategies to prepare for a rapidly evolving situation. In January the Bank’s Board of Directors approved an emergency funding program of up to US$500 million to help countries deal with avian flu. Other countries are set to benefit More than 20 countries are expected to receive assitance this year under this program. In Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, the Bank is currently preparing operations to assist Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova and Tajikistan. "Preparation in these countries is in full swing and the cooperation with the local and international specialists is excellent," said Juergen Voegele, World Bank Sector Manager for Rural Development in the region. "We expect these projects to be approved within the next few weeks."
The World Bank loan to Turkey, which has a 15-year maturity and a 5-year grace period, will help finance activities under three components: animal health, human health and public awareness (see press release for more details). In particular, it will support the National Zoonotic Disease Committee in its role of triggering emergency responses by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, monitoring the actions taken by them and coordinating public statements to the media. * * * |
24 April 2006: Press Release
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