United Nations Children's Fund ( UNICEF) representative for Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces of Indonesia, I Made Sutama, said the organization was raising USD 3.5 million worth of fund to help Indonesia preclude the spread of bird flu virus on Wednesday.

"The UNICEF at present is negotiating with donor countries to collect fund for Indonesian government to prevent bird flu virus from spreading in 2007," Antara News Agency quoted I Made Sutama as saying after his meeting with Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono at Yogyakarta.

Sutama added that the fund from UNICEF would be channeled through Indonesian government and to be distributed to all regions across the country.

"The UNICEF financial aid is only a small part of the organization's effort to support Indonesian government's program in precluding the spread of bird flu virus," he said.

Therefore, he emphasized that the government would be able to mobilize all existing sources in the effort.

Source: Xinhua