Projects to Address AHI

The World Bank has two main mechanisms to help its client countries deal with avian influenza and other zoonotic diseases in animals and to prepare for and respond to a possible human flu pandemic.

The first of these is a global funding program, formally known as the Global Program for Avian Influenza (GPAI). The second mechanism is trust funds, notably the multidonor Avian and Human Influenza Facility (AHIF), which channels funds pledged by donors at the Beijing Conference on avian flu in January 2006 and the Bamako pledging conference in December 2006.

To help countries prepare projects for financing, Bank task teams are also providing a range of analytic and advisory assistance.

THE GLOBAL PROGRAM FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA CONTROL AND HUMAN PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE (GPAI)
All developing countries are eligible to receive financing under this program, which allows for the use of up to US$1 billion in loans from IBRD, and in credits or grants from the Bank's concessional lending arm, the International Development Association (IDA).

The Bank's Board of Executive Directors endorsed the program in January 2006 and extended it in June 2009. It is an adaptable loan program that can be applied across countries as needed. It draws on an integrated approach developed in conjunction with FAO, OIE, and WHO. Countries can access funding to strengthen their veterinarian and health services to deal with avian flu outbreaks among animals, minimize the threat to people, and prepare for, and respond to, any potential human flu pandemic. The Bank is processing these operations using its emergency procedures which allows quick preparation and approval.  Additional program details can be found in the program document.

Project Pipeline
Other integrated avian and human influenza projects are in advanced stages of preparation, with appraisal and subsequent approval by the Bank already scheduled in the coming months. To access the current pipeline of projects, click on the link in "Resources" at the top of this page. In addition to new self-standing operations, the Bank is supporting avian flu control and human pandemic preparedness programs by restructuring ongoing projects (with or without additional financing from IBRD and IDA). Information on project scope and scale, and the amount of financing that may be provided by the Bank is subject to change during later stages of project preparation, appraisal, and negotiations.

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AVIAN AND HUMAN INFLUENZA FACILITY (AHIF)
The AHI Facility was created to assist developing countries in meeting financing gaps in their integrated country programs to minimize the risk and socioeconomic impact of avian and possible human pandemic influenza. In many cases, the facility is cofinancing projects with the Bank's global financing facility, GPAI. But self-standing projects will also be financed, especially to promote action in countries that are behind in their preparedness. More than $120 million has been pledged so far, with the European Commission being the largest donor. As all developing countries, some 145 of them, are at risk of avian flu and need to prepare for a possible human pandemic, the amount expected to be available for any one developing country's program is highly constrained. Click here for more details.

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SUMMARY
As of April 2009, the World Bank has approved financing of $421 million for 59 projects in more than 50 countries in all six geographic regions (see table below). The financing provided comprises $319 million from IBRD/IDA and $102 million from trust funds administered by the World Bank.

Detailed information regarding the components, costs and implementation procedures for World Bank projects can be found in the World Bank Project Portal and in the Project Appraisal Documents(PAD), when available. In the table below:

• Countries whose names appear in yellow received funding from IBRD/IDA, and
• Countries in italics received funding from Bank-administered trust funds (AHIF and Japanese Policy and Human Resources Development Fund [PHRD]).

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*These projects involve: a) conducting a rapid assessment of the country's capacity to respond to the AHI threat, b) identifying gaps in the existing national avian influenza plan, and (c) organizing a workshop to identify potential donors.

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