Pandemic fund vastly oversubscribed, more money needed - World Bank

FILE PHOTO: A participant stands near a logo of World Bank at the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Annual Meeting 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2018. REUTERS/Johannes P. Christo

LONDON (Reuters) - More than 100 low- and middle-income countries have put in early bids for at least $5.5 billion from a fund that initially has only $300 million to spend to help them better prepare for pandemics.

The demand is a sign that pandemic prevention, preparedness and response needs more money and attention, the head of the fund's secretariat at the World Bank, Priya Basu, told Reuters.