September 30, 2005

OIE, FAO and WHO to hold bird flu conference in December

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) planned to hold a bird flu conference in December, following the recent outbreaks in Asia.

The conference would involve raising US$102 million, which the organisations said was needed to contain the virus. OIE said the money raised would be used to help countries hit by the disease. It would also be used for funding research, staff training against bird flu and other measures against the virus.

Meanwhile, animal health experts have urged Southeast Asian countries to help raise funds and endorse a global plan against bird flu. They said such a plan needed ASEAN endorsement to give it credibility among donor countries and multilateral agencies.

Bird flu has killed 66 people in Asia and cost poultry trade in the region about US$15 billion in losses.