Backing for avian flu fund

NST:MALAYSIA strongly backs Canada’s proposal to set up a fund to help poor countries affected by the deadly avian influenza (bird flu) virus.
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin made the proposal at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) Leaders’ Dialogue with the Apec Business Advisory Council (Abac) here yesterday.
"I strongly support the Canadian Prime Minister’s proposal to set up a fund for the affected countries.
"If breeders in poor countries are forced to cull all their birds (due to avian flu), they could expect to receive some compensation but not necessarily full reimbursement," Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told Malaysian journalists here yesterday.
Describing the proposal as positive, he said the fund could help support efforts to tackle the threat of avian flu since breeders normally were not willing to destroy the infected birds if there was no offer of compensation.
"Take the Nipah virus outbreak in Malaysia (in 1998), for example. Although it was not so serious, it involved billions (of ringgit) in compensation. Thus, if we don’t help (poor countries affected by avian flu), the virus may spread to neighbouring countries and continue to move around," he said.
According to the World Health Organisation, at least 130 people in five Apec countries — China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia — have been diagnosed with the H5N1 strain of the avian flu, and at least 67 have died.
Abdullah said at an earlier meeting between US President George W. Bush and leaders from seven Asean countries, including Abdullah, the leaders recognised the urgent need for an action plan to tackle avian flu.
"We agreed to work together. To begin with, by exchanging information on the situation in the countries concerned, particularly those in the Asean region, and that any steps taken that have been effective in curbing this virus should be shared among all countries," he said.