HA NOI - The World Bank hopes its new Additional Financing for the Viet Nam Avian and Human Influenza Control and Preparedness Project will enable the Government to further improve the response to the highly pathogenic bird flu and other newly emerging zoonotic diseases. The project will be implemented in 11 high-priority provinces with a total population of more than 10 million.
Following a contract signed yesterday with the State Bank of Viet Nam, the World Bank will provide US$25 million to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This is expected to improve the effectiveness of public services in reducing the risk to poultry and humans from bird flu in the 11 provinces by controlling the disease at source in domestic poultry, early detection and response to poultry and human cases, and preparing for a possible human pandemic. Of the funds, $13 million will be sources from the Avian and Human Influenza Facility, $2 million from the Government's counterpart funds, and $10 million from the International Development Association, the World Bank's arm for concessional lending to developing countries.
The Additional Financing is the bank's third operation to support Viet Nam in controlling the highly pathogenic bird flu and improving the country's preparedness against a human influenza pandemic. Viet Nam was among the countries most affected by avian influenza (H5N1). The first human case was report in 2003. As of March this year there had been 119 confirmed human cases, of which 59 were fatal. This represents 23 per cent of the total number of human cases reported world-wide and 19 per cent of the deaths.
Vietnam News Agency