A leaked ‘UN report says pandemic may result in anarchy unless the rich western countries pay for antiviral drugs and vaccines.’ The amount to shell out is $1.5 billion. The swine pandemic is expected to ‘kill millions’ which would ‘cause anarchy in the world’s poorest nations,’ thereby causing weak economies to completely collapse, unless the West can cough up the ‘subsidy’ for vaccines and antiviral medicines.

The warning and request are hedged on the premise that global health officials will be incapable ‘to stem the growth of the worldwide H1N1 pandemic in developing countries.’

The cautionary report from the United Nations was sent to ‘health ministers around the globe’ so as to avert a humanitarian disaster in the incoming months.

“There needs to be recognition that the whole world is affected by this pandemic and the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. We have seen how H1N1 has taken hold in richer nations and in the southern hemisphere. We have been given fair warning and must act soon,” said Gregory Hartl of the World Health Organization (WHO), requiring an urgent response from rich nations.

The 47-page report details the ‘basic needs of 75 vulnerable countries with the weakest capacity to withstand an escalation of the virus,’ broken down as follows: 6 countries from Latin America, including Cuba and Bolivia, 21 countries from Asia and the Pacific such as North Korea and Bangladesh, and 40 countries from Africa such as Congo and Eritrea. The UN has also ‘identified 85 countries that do not have the ability to access vaccines from any other source.’

Via guardian.co.uk