viral drugs fairer and step up research into vaccines against a pandemic strain. "Fighting the disease in animals is key to our success in limiting the threat of a human pandemic," said Louise Fresco, assistant director-general of the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). WHO chief Lee Jong-Wook said donor mechanisms were in place and funds should target poorer countries. "Investments are urgently needed at the national level, potentially reaching $1 billion over the next three years," he said. The Chinese government announced that a donor conference, co-sponsored by the World Bank and European Commission is scheduled to take place on January 17-18 in Beijing. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) also said it was making an extra $300 million available to to help fight bird flu in worst affected countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The meeting supported a request for $35 million to fund high-priority actions by the WHO, FAO and World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) over the next six months, a statement said.
