# 1119
Over the weekend Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization, either made a very surprising statement . . . or she didn't.
It depends on which news account you read.
Radio Australia is reporting the story this way:
WHO says human flu pandemic 'inevitable'
Last Updated 10/09/2007, 18:57:02
The World Health Organisation is warning against complacency in the fight against bird flu, saying another human influenza pandemic is inevitable sooner or later.
Director general Margaret Chan told a regional meeting of the organisation that the H5N1 bird flu will cause the next pandemic.The meeting was told that bird flu deaths in the Western Pacific, which excludes Indonesia, have fallen in the past year but it is still entrenched in several countries.
The WHO says if a human pandemic breaks out in the region, rapid containment will be its highest priority.
Such an effort will require the deployment of anti-viral drugs, personal protection equipment and other supplies.
A stockpile was established in Singapore in April with the support of Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
H5N1 will cause the next pandemic?
If Ms. Chan really said this, it goes far beyond any statement she's made before. The problem is . . . AFP (Agence France-Presse) is reporting quite a different story.
WHO warns over complacency on bird flu
by Park Chan-Kyong 2 hours, 16 minutes ago
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea (AFP) - The World Health Organisation warned Monday against complacency in the fight against bird flu, saying another human influenza pandemic is inevitable sooner or later.
"I am often asked if the effort invested in pandemic preparedness is a waste of resources," director general Margaret Chan told a regional meeting of the world organisation.
"Has public health cried wolf too often and too loudly?" she said in a speech.
"Not at all. Pandemics are recurring events. We do not know whether the H5N1 (avian influenza) virus will cause the next pandemic. But we do know this: the world will experience another influenza pandemic sooner or later."
WHO regional director Shigeru Omi noted that bird flu deaths in the Western Pacific -- which excludes Indonesia -- had fallen from 19 two years ago to five in the past year.
But he said the virus was still "entrenched" in several countries.
"Because the virus continues to evolve and mutate, we must maintain constant vigilance," he said.
"We do not know whether the H5N1 (avian influenza) virus will cause the next pandemic." - Margaret Chan
This, of course, is the longstanding position of the WHO, and most reputable scientists.
H5N1 is a strong contender to become the next pandemic strain, but there are no guarantees. Another virus could rear it's ugly head, or there could be some limiting factor with the H5N1 virus that prevents it from becoming a pandemic strain.
How two reputable news agencies could come away with stories that differed by 180 degrees on such an important point is hard to fathom. Where both articles agree, however, is over the danger of complacency about the next pandemic.
Another one will come. Maybe sooner, maybe later. But it will happen.
And that's the bottom line.
