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World Bank AI grant for West Bank and Gaza
The World Bank has approved a US$13 million
grant to minimise threats posed to humans by avian influenza in domestic poultry
in the West Bank and Gaza.
US$3 million is being provided from the World Bank's
Avian and Human Influenza Facility, a multi-donor financing
mechanism set up earlier this year, while a US$10 million grant from the
World Bank's own resources has been approved and will
serve as a second stage of this project.
“These grants will assist the Palestinian Authority to improve their
readiness and protect their citizens from a potentially devastating threat as
the migration season is around the corner,†says Arif Zulfiqar, World Bank Head
of Department responsible for all Facility Grant Applications. “In particular,
the Bank is committed to helping the poor and vulnerable benefit from quality
public health care as well as reforms in the animal health system, to help avert
a possible human pandemic with the devastating social and economic impacts this
would imply."
In April 2006, the
avian
influenza (H5N1) virus was confirmed across eight locations in Gaza. The
proximity of outbreaks in neighbouring countries, coupled with a large volume of
bird migrations, increases the probability of a spread of the virus among
domestic poultry, and thus places West Bank and Gaza at high risk.
The World Bank's Avian and Human Influenza
Facility is supported by generous commitments from eight donor agencies, the
European Commission being the largest donor. The Avian
Flu Facility is dedicated to help countries prepare and implement integrated
action plans designed to reduce the social and economic impact of avian
influenza and minimise possible outbreak of a human flu
pandemic.
Editor WorldPoultry
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