She said she had spoken with UNITAID, GAVI the World Bank and foundations to continue work on funding. The Director-General said she would meet with vaccine manufacturers individually to work out strategies to ensure pandemic vaccine availability.

In response to a question on pandemic alert phase change, Dr Chan explained that the definition of WHO's influenza preparedness phases was developed against the backdrop of H5N1 avian flu. Influenza A(H1N1) has a very different clinical picture, which is so far mostly mild and self-limiting, unlike H5N1, which had a 50% to 60% mortality rate. She said that at the on-going World Health Assembly, Member States had asked that WHO reflect criteria other than geographical spread before moving to Phase 6. The pandemic alert level is currently at Phase 5.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also visited the JW Lee Centre for Strategic Health Operations (also known as the SHOC room) at WHO headquarters, the centre of WHO's emergency response.

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