$2MLN GRANT GIVEN TO ARMENIA FOR BIRD FLU PREVENTION

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Feb 19 2007

YEREVAN, February 19. /ARKA/. World Bank’s Yerevan Office told
ARKA News Agency that Armenia has received $2mln as grant for Avian
Influenza Preparedness (AIP) Project implementation.

The project administered by the WB focuses on bird flu prevention.

The program is funded by eight donor organizations.

This Grant is in addition to a US$6.25 million IDA credit and a US$0.8
million Japanese Grant approved by the World Bank under the Global
Program for Avian and Human Influenza Control and Preparedness (GPAI)
for Armenia. The GPAI provides emergency financing to participating
countries, in order to contain outbreaks of avian flu through early
detection and rapid response measures and to help countries prepare
for a possible human influenza pandemic.

In particular, the Bank is committed to help the Government of
Armenia to make sure that the veterinary and human health services are
upgraded, and that public financial resources are used effectively to
respond in the best possible way to the avian and human flu situation,
and help avert a possible human pandemic with the devastating social
and economic impacts this would imply.

The report says that the Facility is part of a comprehensive package of
the World Bank assistance to address the priorities already identified
in the Armenia’s National Plan for Preparedness for HPAI.

According to the report, other support for Government’s efforts is
being provided by bilateral donors, multilateral agencies, a number
of UN organizations, including FAO and WHO, and a grant from the
Policy and Human Resources Development (PHRD) Program funded by the
Government of Japan.

"Today’s approval provides the opportunity to Armenia to more
completely prepare for the potential of an avian influenza outbreak as
well as be better prepared for other contagious diseases," said Frauke
Jungbluth, who leads the Bank’s task team responsible for supervising
the AIP project. "Given the recent outbreaks of avian flu in Turkey,
Hungary, UK and Russia and seasonal risks, it is critical to maintain
the momentum and to continue avian influenza preparedness activities
in earnest.

In particular, the Bank is committed to help the Government of
Armenia to make sure that the veterinary and human health services are
upgraded, and that public financial resources are used effectively to
respond in the best possible way to the avian and human flu situation,
and help avert a possible human pandemic with the devastating social
and economic impacts this would imply.

The Facility is part of a comprehensive package of the World Bank
assistance to address the priorities already identified in the
Armenia’s National Plan for Preparedness for HPAI. Other support
for Government’s efforts is being provided by bilateral donors,
multilateral agencies, a number of UN organizations, including FAO
and WHO, and a grant from the Policy and Human Resources Development
(PHRD) Program funded by the Government of Japan.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, commitments
to Armenia have totaled approximately US $952.25 million for 44
operations.