Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 21: The United Nations has warned that swine flu could kill millions of people in third world countries such as India unless rich nations bail them out by handing out around $1,400 million, according to a media report.
The warning has been issued by the UN as swine flu deaths touched 247 in India with seven more people dying on Monday.
The UN report prepared under the directions of the secretary general, Mr Ban Ki Moon, paints a bleak and alarming scenario for 75 vulnerable countries including several Latin American, Asian and African countries such as Cuba, Bolivia, North Korea, Bangladesh and Congo.
Of the projected $1,400 million, a major chunk should be allocated antiviral drugs and vaccines to the people as well as to health officials taking care of them. The rest is meant for vaccination camps and to improve testing facilities for the H1N1 virus.
However, officials of the World Health Organisation have expressed doubts on whether the rich countries would open their coffers for the poor in times of recession. The US has offered to provide 10 per cent of its swine flu vaccines to other countries to fight the virus and Britain has volunteered to donate $37 million. But the WHO believes that this is woefully inadequate.
According to the report, countries which were grappling with other health crises caused by HIV, tuberculosis and malaria will be hit hardest by the H1N1 virus. They will face real trouble if a second wave of virus attacks occurred.
The report warned governments to strengthen their food, water, telecommunications and transport services to prepare for the worst.
Some health experts felt that the UN was exaggerating the scenario for its own reasons.
“It is all humbug,” said Dr C.R. Soman, a well known public health expert and former professor at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. “As far as I know, swine flu is only a mildly lethal infection which can be tackled through a common sense approach. It is not even as virulent as its cousin, the influenza. I think these reports are meant to scare people and create a market for drugs,” she added.
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