INDONESIA - JUNE 22 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001729 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS AIDAC 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 22 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE REF: A) Jakarta 1593; B) Jakarta 1492 and previous 1.(SBU) Summary. On June 13-14, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Food and Animal Organization (FAO) and the National Committee on Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Preparedness (KOMNAS) hosted a two-day technical workshop focusing on controlling avian influenza (AI) in animals. Participants committed to new pledges and identified shortcomings to the government's attempts to control the disease in the animal population. The Indonesian press continued to run numerous avian influenza articles, including a TEMPO (weekly news magazine) interview with Minister of HEALTH Siti Fadilah Supari on sample sharing and articles on vaccine development. On June 21, the Ministry of HEALTH (MOH) gave permission for newly arrived Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officer Dr. Mike Thomas to propose a joint US-GOI work plan. A visiting CDC contractor began a 90-day work program on June 5 to help get the Eijkman Institute Biosafety Level 3 (BSL 3) laboratory operational. On June 19, a visiting CDC media expert began his Indonesian speaking tour to help Indonesia raise public awareness of AI. The MOH announced another fatal human AI case on June 12, raising the total cases to 100, with 80 deaths. End Summary. KOMNAS MEETING EVALUATES AI CONTROL IN ANIMALS -------------- -- ¶2. (SBU) At the two-day workshop hosted by MOA, FAO, and KOMNAS on June 13-14, participants committed to new pledges and identified shortcomings with the government's attempts to control the disease in the animal population. Donors conveyed the message that the large amount of money flowing into Indonesia is due to the threat of a pandemic, and the money will not flow forever. Participants cited the lack of significant budgetary and political commitments from the GOI and the lack of widespread buy-in from local governments and private, commercial poultry producers as significant gaps to controlling the disease. ¶3. (SBU) Several participants suggested a significantly strengthened role for the Chief Veterinary Officer to include oversight of commercial and private poultry production and authority over all disease control efforts. Participants also repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of animal vaccines currently used in Indonesia, as well as the consistency of delivery and application. The MOA stresses the need for vaccination, but participants disagreed on whether blanket or targeted ring vaccination strategies are more appropriate. ¶4. (SBU) In a June 21 follow-up call with Dr. Tri Satya Putri Naipospos (Tata),Secretary to KOMNAS, Dr. Tata noted that the MOA had not/not made budget cuts to its program. Tata explained that the GOI organizes AI funds in various ministries, which makes answering budget questions difficult. She claimed the KOMNAS does not have AI budget data for Indonesia. Tata noted KOMNAS' interest in raising the transparency of the AI budgeting process in order to assure the donor community that the GOI remains committed to combating the disease. INDONESIAN PRESS FOLLOWS SAMPLE SHARING -------------- ¶5. (U) In the June 18 issue of TEMPO, ONE of Indonesia's leading weekly newsmagazines, Minister Supari describes Indonesia's struggle to change the WHO regulations on sample sharing to become more equitable. Minister Supari describes "It was a hard fight because we faced the United States head on." The article alluded to the upcoming October intergovernmental HEALTH meeting where participants will develop the changes to these regulations. Supari also described Indonesia's collaboration with Baxter HEALTH Care and mentioned that Indonesian officials planned to conduct clinical tests on the H5N1 vaccine produced by the US-based manufacturer. (However, a spokesperson at Baxter denied planning such testing in Indonesia.) The MOH also stated that they expect the release soon of an early diagnosis test for H5N1 currently in development in Singapore. ¶6. (U) Supari described the APEC HEALTH ministers' meeting in Sydney JAKARTA 00001729 002 OF 002 in the June 9 issue of Seputar Indonesia, a daily newspaper. Supari stated, "We endorse sample-sharing as stated in a WHO resolution." APEC HEALTH ministers agreed to ensure and support AI sample sharing. ¶7. (U) On June 21, the Jakarta Post reported that the GOI will hold another round of discussions with the World HEALTH Organization (WHO) in July about the authority of using AI vaccines from the WHO. Health Minister Supari stated, "We will meet again next month to renegotiate (on bird flu vaccines)." She added that the government wanted to have direct authority to use the vaccine. The Minister said the WHO wanted the government to maintain the supply of the vaccine and to only use it in case of a pandemic. She said that it would take six months to prepare the vaccine. The government has expected to secure a deal with the WHO about the use of the bird flu vaccine. CDC GETS GREEN LIGHT TO WORK, MEDIA EXPERT BEGINS SPEAKING TOUR -------------- ¶8. (SBU) On June 21, the influenza headquarters at the Indonesian Center for Disease Control and Environmental HEALTH gave newly arrived Dr. Mike Thomas permission to begin to develop a joint plan for collaborative work. A Singaporean-funded WHO epidemiologist recently arrived and may share temporary office space with the US CDC officials at the MOH. ¶9. (SBU) On June 5, visiting CDC contractor Thomas Rowe, began a ninety day assignment at the Eijkman Institute to help get its BSL-3 laboratory operational. The President of Indonesia plans to celebrate the opening of the lab in early July. ¶10. (U) On June 19, Dan Rutz, acting director of the Division of Partnerships and Strategic Alliances, CDC National Center for HEALTH Marketing, began an eleven-day program in Indonesia. His goal is to meet with the media, students in journalism schools, and government and NGO spokespersons to discuss ways to raise public awareness of AI without causing panic. AI HUMAN CASE REPORTS -------------- ¶11. (U) The MOH reported ONE new fatal human AI case since reftel A. The number of bird flu fatalities in Indonesia has risen to 80 with the death of a 29-year-old male patient in Riau province on June 12. As of June 21, the MOH reports 100 human cases, with a case fatality rate of 80%. HEFFERN