I would like to thank The Jakarta Post for its continued coverage of avian influenza. However, I must take issue with some recent stories in the Post that have leveled criticism at Indonesia's bird flu public awareness campaigns, including Poor service, public ignorance allow bird flu virus to spread, which ran on Jan. 8, 2006.
Several of the criticisms in this story, I believe, are incorrect and misguided. The fact is Indonesia has made some important gains in the fight against bird flu during the past year, in particular in the area of public awareness.
The ""Tanggap Flu Burung"" public awareness campaign, for instance, launched on Sept. 1, 2006, includes television and radio public service announcements airing right across the country, as well as flyers, billboards, and even dangdut music concerts.
This and other campaigns inform people how to reduce the risk of contracting the H5N1 virus, and what to do if they, their family or their animals become ill. The goal is to promote behavior changes that will help keep our people healthy.
Our campaigns are reaching Indonesians, For example, a survey of 508 urban and rural, poultry owning households in Jakarta, Tangerang, Bekasi, Bogor and Garut, revealed that 97 percent of respondents had seen at least one of the Tanggap TV spots. Across Indonesia, an analysis of TV penetration data that as many as 120 million people -- half of the population -- have seen the Tanggap campaign.
We are seeing the benefits of our public awareness efforts. Indonesians are becoming more vigilant about avian influenza. For example, the ratio of confirmed human H5N1 cases to suspect cases dropped significantly in the last five months of 2006. This indicates more people are seeking medical assistance when they become ill with flu-like symptoms. Despite these and other successes, we know we have more work to do, many more people to reach. Behavior change takes time.
In 2007, the war continues. We will work to improve all of our bird flu control and pandemic preparedness programs, including public awareness. Together, we will bring this virus under control.
BAYU KRISNAMURTHI
Chief Executive of the National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (Komnas FBPI) Jakarta
