Indonesia needs more funding to fight against bird flu virus

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 09/12/2007 2:27 PM

Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali

Indonesia, holding the world's highest human fatality rate of H5N1 infections, is short of more than half the amount of funding required to fight the bird flu virus, the head of the bird flu national committee said Tuesday.

Chief executive of the Indonesian National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Preparedness Bayu Krisnamurthi said on the sidelines of a meeting between the Indonesian government and international donors, that Indonesia needs around US$ 300 million per year to fight avian influenza.

""Currently we have only around $120 million from the national budget combined with funds from international donors. So we are short of more than half the amount we need,"" he said, adding the committee is trying to survive with the existing budget.

Bayu said the funding is being used to finance six strategies for Avian Influenza control, which include a public campaign, the restructuring of the poultry industry, disease surveillance in animals and humans, virus elimination at the source (i.e, bio-security, vaccination, culling and compensation), health facilities and the establishment of pandemic preparedness measures.

Indonesia's death toll from avian influenza reached 85 out of 106 reported infections -- the highest fatality rate in the world -- following the death of a 33-year-old man from Hangtuah village in Kampar, Riau province, on Sept. 6. Of the 31 provinces where bird flu is endemic in birds, 12 provinces have recorded human deaths from the virus.

This year, $52.9 million was allocated from the state budget for avian influenza control and the government received grants of more than $68.4 million from international donors.

While the international grants increased by around 47 percent from last year's $35.6 million, the state budget allocation decreased by around 7 percent from last year's $57.3 million.

The senior United Nations system coordinator for avian influenza, David Nabarro, in a speech said he wished to see an increase in funding from both the Indonesian government and international donors.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said although the allocated state budget for avian influenza control had decreased, the total amount spent to contain the virus had actually increased.

""There is an additional budget for avian influenza control in our disaster management budget. The total amount of funding from the central government allocated to the control of avian influenza is around $62 to 63 billion,"" he said.

The committee is changing its strategy by focusing more on animals, in a move to better contain the virus.

Bayu said last year the focus on controlling the virus was equal between humans and animals.

""Now, our focus is 70 percent on animals and 30 percent on humans,"" he said.

""The restructuring of the poultry industry and transportation of poultry is currently the most important measure in controlling the spread of avian influenza. However, it is not an easy task and will take some time,"" Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said.

Anton said the government was attempting to relocate chicken farms away from residences in cities as well as re-organize markets and the transportation of poultry.

""We are also setting up abattoirs so chickens would only be transported in the form of carcasses (not live birds),"" he said.

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