KATHMANDU: Dr Margaret Chan, director general, the World Health Organization, said that the first phase of trial vaccine of pandemic influenza H1N1 for the people of developed countries would be made available by the end of September.

Addressing a media briefing during the 27th meeting of health ministers from 11 countries of South East Asia and the 62nd session of the regional committee for South East Asia here in the capital today, she claimed that the international donor agencies had pledged financial assistance in

order to make the vaccine available for the patients in the developing countries as well.

She, however, said that stopping the swine flu from spreading was almost impossible due to its pandemic status and said that establishing health desks along the border areas to screen the patients too was not a best option.

“Scientists are working hard to bring the vaccines and are learning from the experience as the diseases is new,” she said, advising the Government of Nepal to use available resources for treating the patients.

The disease had first entered in Nepal on 29th June 2009 and there are 31 confirmed cases as of now. Among them are 25 Nepali citizens who contracted the virus while residing and working abroad.

According to Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), of 36,000 courses of antiviral available, 200 were already dispatched to each referral and zonal hospitals. There are 100,000 disposal masks, 20,000 surgical gloves and 3,000 respirator masks stock piling at MoHP.