WHO report examines donors response to developing countries during H1N1 pandemic

CIDRAP News examines a recently-released WHO report on how donor countries and organizations have responded to the needs of developing countries during the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic. In September, the WHO estimated the "64 'least-resourced countries' needed a total of $1.48 billion of aid for vaccine, medicines and supplies, laboratory and surveillance services, communications capacity, and other activities to respond to the pandemic," according to the news service.

According to CIDRAP, the report (.pdf), titled "Urgent Support for Developing Countries' Responses to the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic" notes that "[w]hile donor countries and organizations have responded well to the need for pandemic flu vaccine for developing countries, … [t]he level of resources given for things like health system planning, healthcare worker training, strengthening communications, humanitarian readiness, and public-health decision-making has fallen well below the need that was estimated last fall." 

The article details the report's breakdown of funding gaps for pandemic preparedness in developing countries, an update on the number of H1N1 vaccine donations to developing countries and the mechanisms by which "pandemic-related donations have reached" developing countries. The news service notes the WHO plans to release a second report on pandemic funding gaps in January 2011 (Roos, 7/7).