AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HEALTH AND RESEARCH ISSUES WITH

UNCLAS JAKARTA 002168 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG AND OES USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: TBIO EAGR CASC KHIV PGOV KFLU ID SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HEALTH AND RESEARCH ISSUES WITH MINISTER OF HEALTH SUPARI ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Minister of Health Dr. Siti Fadilah Supari told the Ambassador on August 9 that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is committed to cooperation with USG. Describing Indonesia's pressing health concerns including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and avian influenza (AI),she said the Government of Indonesia (GOI) is pleased with USG collaboration on various health challenges and thanked USAID and NAMRU-2 for their support. The Minister raised the AI vaccine issue and indicated that the GOI would be entering into clinical trials with Baxter International Inc. on a H5N1 human vaccine beginning in September. The Ambassador cited the complexity of the AI vaccine issue and the importance of its resolution. He also raised the possibility of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) officials visiting GOI laboratories at a later date in order to foster greater research collaboration. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Hume paid a courtesy call on Minister of Health Dr. Supari on August 9. Other MOH officials at the meeting included Dr. Triono Soendoro (Director General for the National Institute for Health Research and Development),and Dr. Sjafii Ahmad, MOH General Secretary. SIPDIS -------------- Health Concerns, Avian Influenza and Research -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Minister described Indonesia's pressing health concerns as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and AI and thanked the Ambassador for USG support. Dr. Triono then described positive research collaboration with the Department's Biosecurity Engagement Program and progress on the NAMRU-2 memorandum of understanding. Dr. Triono also described the launch of a public health baseline research project involving collection of blood samples from 80,000 households that would help analyze diseases among Indonesian ethnicities. ¶4. (SBU) The Minister raised AI, noted that Indonesia had signed a memorandum of understanding with Baxter to develop a human vaccine using the Indonesian AI virus strain. Indonesia planned to begin clinical trials on the vaccine in September. Dr. Triono noted that Baxter was the only company that responded to Indonesia's invitation for collaboration in November 2005. ¶5. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that cooperation on health issues is of paramount importance because it impacts human lives. He noted the complexity of the avian influenza and vaccine development issues and the importance of their resolution. The Ambassador described his recent visit to NIAID to learn more about vaccine development concerns. He noted that NIAID's Research Director Dr. Cliff Lane expressed interest in joining him for a future tour of GOI laboratories, with the possibility of fostering closer research cooperation between institutions. The Ambassador and Minister pledged to look for ways for continued collaboration on health issues. HUME