INDONESIA - JUNE 8 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001593 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG AND OES USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/ABHAT/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR AMGT PGOV ID SUBJECT: INDONESIA - JUNE 8 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE REF: A) Jakarta 1492 B) Jakarta 1331 and previous ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari reportedly announced on June 6 that Indonesia and Australia plan to jointly develop an AI vaccine, but privately, the Australian Embassy and National Institute of Health Research and Development (NIHRD) both expressed surprise at this announcement. On May 28, NIHRD Director Dr. Triono Soendoro told visiting Senate Appropriations' Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Minority Clerk Paul Grove that he would be interested in seeking "behind the scenes" meetings with the U.S. to find a middle ground on material transfer agreements and other sample sharing issues. The Indonesian press reported the week of May 27 that the Ministry of Health (MOH) would send AI virus samples and other biological specimens only to countries and industries that respect Law 32/1992, which reportedly requires some sort of a material transfer document. The MOH has reported one new AI case since Ref A. End Summary. Press Announces Australian-Indonesian Vaccine Plans -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Indonesian press reported on June 7 that Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari had announced that Indonesia and Australia plan to jointly develop an AI vaccine. According to Supari, the two countries will detail the cooperation in a forthcoming bilateral agreement. Supari reportedly made the announcement on June 6 before meeting Australian Minister of Health Tony Abbott on the sidelines of the June 6-8 APEC Health Ministers meeting. However, when questioned about the article, staff at both the Australian Embassy and NIHRD indicated surprise at the announcement. Australian Embassy contacts expressed some skepticism about the report given other inaccurate press stories about an alleged promise by Abbott to supply Indonesia with antivirals and vaccines. Dr. Endang Sedyaningsih, the NIHRD's Director of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Development, noted that Triono is with the Supari in Australia and may well have discussed a joint vaccine development deal. She added that Indonesia is open to agreements with multiple companies. Staff Delegation visits AI Hospital and BEP Sites -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) During visit to AI related sites on May 28, Triono told visiting Senate staff member Paul Grove and the Charge that he is interested in meeting "behind the scenes" with USG representatives to find compromise solutions to remaining sample sharing concerns. Triono noted special interest in meeting with HHS Assistant Secretary of Health John Agwunobi. Triono said he had met briefly SIPDIS with Agwunobi during the May 14-23 World Health Assembly. Triono also praised the Department's Biosecurity Engagement Program for its assistance to Libtangkes in designing the Biosafety Level 3 laboratory and for providing technical training. ¶4. (SBU) In addition to his tour of NIHRD, Grove visited the Sulianto Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital, one of Indonesian's 44 designated AI referral hospitals on May 28 and Balitvet, the research laboratory under Ministry of Agriculture on May 29. Balitvet staff told Grove that a recently Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP) installed security alarm system had foiled a May 28 burglary attempt into the lab. Balitvet staff also praised BEP related program assistance. Indonesian Press Cover AI Sample Sharing Issues -------------- -- ¶5. (U) During the week of May 27, Indonesian press ran several stories on MOH plans for future sample sharing. According to a May 27 story in the Indonesian language daily KOMPAS, the GOI will only send AI virus and other biological samples to interested countries and industries in accordance with Law 32/1992, which requires material transfer documents. Kompas reported Minister Supari as saying on May 26 "I open the door; whoever needs bird flu virus samples is welcomed to contact Indonesia. However, because the regulations on how to send the samples are not yet available, it will be done in line with domestic regulations, including Law JAKARTA 00001593 002 OF 002 32/1992." According to Indonesian regulations, Material Transfer Documents (MTDs) must accompany biological specimens so that the government knows the identity of specimen recipients and has a guarantee that the virus specimens won't be misused. On May 28, Media Indonesia featured a similar story. Indonesia has not sent additional samples to the WHO Collaborating Center in Tokyo since May 10. AI Human Case Reports -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The MOH reports one new human AI case since Ref A. A 45-year-old Indonesian man from Grobogan, central Java, died of suspected H5N1 infection on May 28, two days after hospitalized at Muwardi Hospital in Solo. Ario Wirawan Hospital in Salatiga, West Java, referred the man after he exhibited fever and dyspnea for two weeks. His illness began 19 May, after he reportedly consumed a sick chicken. Six of his chickens died several weeks previously. The NIHRD laboratory confirmed the samples. ¶7. (SBU) As of June 8, both the MOH and WHO report 99 total confirmed human AI cases in Indonesia with 79 deaths for a fatality rate of 80%. HEFFERN