WASHINGTON, April 27, 2009 —The World Bank is assembling money and manpower and drawing from its vast public health experience to help Mexico combat the spread of influenza. World Bank President Robert Zoellick announced on April 26 that the Bank would provide a US$205 million credit for the Mexican government and send experts to the region in response to the flu outbreak in Mexico.
"Our first, second and third priority is health and human life,” said Zoellick at a press conference to launch the program. World Bank officials said that US$25 million of an ongoing health project in Mexico will be immediately re-oriented to provide drugs and equipment to offset the impact of the disease. An additional US$180 million from the Global Avian Flu Fund will be devoted to an array of strategic actions, including prevention facilities to ensure an efficient response. This new strain of flu -oficially named Influenza A (H1N1)- has killed more than 100 people in Mexico while more than 1,400 infectious cases have been reported, creating alarm in the international community. The World Health Organization (WHO) elevated the epidemiological threat level in Mexico from four to five and strengthened preventive health measures in the country. The WHO has established six phases for any influenza epidemic threatening to become a pandemic. While announcing the assistance to Mexico, Zoellick emphasized that the World Bank is helping the Mexican government contact other governments and experts that have faced similar disease epidemics and can provide valuable information. 
Carstens and Zoellick announce WB aid. |
“The best thing we can do is talk with others who have gone through this. At this very moment, we are helping Mexico contact these people,” said President Zoellick. In fact, the World Bank is mobilizing a full-time team to monitor the situation in Mexico and around the world as part of the rapid response mechanism that emerged from previous crises, such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), just five years ago, and the avian flu. Keith Hansen, World Bank Health Sector Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, said that this robust response demonstrates that the international community and multilateral organizations are well-prepared to face potential viral pandemics. “The flu outbreak is an acid test for the technical support nets established after the SARS epidemic and we are all working against the clock to deal with it in all ways possible,” said Hansen. These new structures, which include strategic associations among leading international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Bank itself, are helping the Mexican government with the immediate response to the disease and may prove instrumental in helping other governments in the region that may need assistance. Hansen said that, as the situation evolves, the Bank and its partners have the necessary resources and are prepared to do whatever is needed for Mexico and other developing countries impacted by the Swine Flu. Hansen added that despite worries about the potential impact of the outbreak on Mexico's economy, it is still too early to make a real assessment, and for now the focus of the Bank's attention is the well-being of those affected.
"We are obviously apprehensive about potential economic effects, especially on the poor, but right now our priority is the people," he said. The project will be promptly approved and resources will become available within 3-5 weeks. The World Bank also will help Mexico assess the economic impact of the current health situation and will assist the country in designing measures to mitigate the outbreak‘s effects. | 
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