, April 3, Asia-Plus - A mission of the World Bank (WB) is supposed to arrive in Tajikistan in mid-April to work with the country’s authorities to prepare for eventual bird flu outbreak and study preparation of a draft agreement on providing funds to prevent spread of bird flu.

Ms. Nazira Ortiqova, an employee of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dushanbe Office, has told Asia-Plus that funds in an amount of little fewer than US$1.5 million will be provided to Tajikistan only in the event if the WB specialists reveal that this problem in Tajikistan really exists and find it necessary to provide the funds.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) has sent to Tajikistan 200 special protective suits for working in places of the avian influenza outbreak, according to Ms. Ortiqova.  “These suits will be necessary for Tajik specialists in the case of eventual outbreak,” she said. 

“There have been no confirmed cases so far in Tajikistan, but no countries is insured against this disease and the country should be prepared,” said she, “Because the country is located on a major migratory flyway path and it borders on China and Afghanistan, where confirmed cases of bird flu have already been reported.”