#976
It's an encouraging sign when the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation takes the threat of pandemic flu seriously.
Gates may help fund bird-flu vaccinations
Jul 13, 2007 04:30 AM
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is considering ways of funding pandemic bird-flu vaccinations in poor countries to ensure access for populations most at risk.
Tachi Yamada, head of health at the mega charity set up by the Microsoft Corp. chair, said the foundation wanted to become involved since 95 per cent of deaths from any flu pandemic were likely to be in the developing world.
"This is, potentially, one of the world's greatest inequities and as a result we are focusing a fair amount of attention on it," he said in an interview during a visit to London.
Yamada said no specific grant program was in place, but the charity was using "our convening capabilities to ensure that a dialogue takes place," and he believed significant progress had been made.
Talks have involved vaccine makers, health-care regulators and the World Health Organization.
