World Bank Keen to Scale up Funding for Swine Flu

The World Bank is prepared to raise financing to combat swine flu in developing nations, according to Keith Hansen, the bank's health sector manager for Latin America and the Caribbean. "We put in place a funding facility for avian flu a few years ago and it is broadly defined so it can encompass this flu, and if need be the bank is fully prepared to add money to that facility for Mexico and for any other countries that may be affected," Hansen was quoted by

as saying. The international lender has offered USD18 million in urgent funding and another USD180 million in loans to Mexico.