26.04.2007

The World Health Organization is donating millions of dollars to help developing countries et up their own influenza vaccine production in preparation for a possible avian influenza pandemic.
The programme will provide cash for six nations to establish capacity to manufacture influenza vaccine. India, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam will each get up to $2.5m from an $18m fund provided by the Government of Japan and the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The WHO estimates that it will take three-to-five years for the national initiatives to start producing vaccine supplies.