U.N. says $100M needed to stop bird flu

ROME, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- The U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization says it needs $100 million to stop avian influenza and prevent a possible human pandemic.

The Rome-based agency's Global Strategy for the Progressive Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza called for control programs in southwest Asian countries and requested more than $100 million over three years.

So far $16.5 million has been pledged by the United States, Germany, Switzerland and Japan, with $2 million from the FAO.

"It makes sense to stockpile antiviral drugs to protect humans against a potential avian influenza pandemic, but at the same time we have to contain the virus at source, in animals, to reduce the risk to people," said FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech.

He estimated Vietnam needs $10 million for a vaccination program, to update its labs and carry out a post-vaccination program.

The agency asked countries to set up early warning and surveillance programs, particularly in India, Bangladesh, Central Europe, the Middle East and parts of Africa.

The avian virus strain, H5N1, was detected in wild and domestic bird populations in Hong Kong in 1997, re-appearing in South Korea in 2003. Some 112 people contracted the virus and 58 died.