As part of his long-planned regional trip, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt paid a visit to Jakarta on Monday. On the sidelines of his visit, Leavitt spoke to The Jakarta Post's Emmy Fitri about U.S. commitments to providing Indonesia with continued aid and assistance. The following are excerpts of the interview.

Question: How was the meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono?

Answer: The meeting with the President was essentially a review of issues that we had spoken of the last time I was here, which included avian influenza, issues related to sample sharing and talks on matters related to the naval laboratory (the Naval Medical Research Unit-2 or NAMRU), but all of them in the context of the much larger relationship that the U.S. has with Indonesia, that it continues to be a friendly, productive and important relationship with us.

Did you convey special concern over certain issues to the President?

It's primarily to review the things that I've already spoken of and to report to him that we're making progress. He was direct in his expression of commitment to resolve the remaining issues. He directed his government representatives to work out and resolve them. We are left, I think, in confidence in time it will.

There are some disagreements that we have with respect to sample sharing that is likely understood and those disagreements are not simply between the United States and Indonesia. Obviously there are many around the world who have the same concern we do.

It's been 60 years of sample sharing among the global community that mutually every country agrees to share samples in a way that is unrestricted and transparent.

Indonesia has chosen to raise other issues and connect them to their concern. And we have indicated desires to works on other issues that also working on all over the world, things like access to medicine and vaccine and so forth. But connecting them with this desire on their (Indonesia) part to be compensated in some ways for the sharing of virus, is simply not something we can condone.

What about the suspension of NAMRU?

We talked about the importance of NAMRU as an asset to both the United States and Indonesian governments. We talked about the importance of its continuation as a cooperative asset, as a transparent asset, as well as its mutual benefit to both countries.

We talked about the need for further training of people in Indonesia. We support the expansion of laboratories around the world and laboratory capacities and training of people to operate them. And I offered to have Indonesian scientists and or students to train them in the United States at the Centers for Disease Control and our National Institute of Health because we see it as our mutual interests.

Are you saying that you're also seeking support from the President to resume the operation of the NAMRU?

I raised it with the President. He restated, as he did two years ago, that this is an important relationship and he wanted to see a result. He directed his government to work to find the solutions. I have little doubt that our work at the naval laboratory will continue. We simply need to resolve the issues that are remaining from the U.S.' point of view. We need to see that occurs. And I am committed to bring these issues back to my government and see if I can move this forward and away that it will happen faster.

Is the leakage of viruses (to vaccine makers, as claimed in Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari's book) one of the reasons why it's suspended?

There is a little question in my mind that the sample sharing issues that we have on avian influenza have complicated our renegotiation of the NAMRU MoU. They're separate issues and we need to negotiate them separately. But when they tend to become intermingled, our commitment is just to continue to work until we find ways to resolve them.

For avian influenza alone, Indonesia is getting a lot of donors. Some of the money is reportedly being badly invested, for instance, R&D activity is getting a small amount of attention compared to other sectors.

We have actually typically practiced some restraints in directing NGOs for whom we do not provide funding. If we're providing funding than obviously we have an interest that gives us a reason to coordinate their activity.

Much of the works that we do to support human trafficking reduction, is done through NGOs. Much of the works we're doing for Malaria, Tuberculosis and avian influenza, much of that happens through non-profits. When they occur, we obviously have the authority to guide their actions. But when we're not, then we assume that they will be satisfying the requirements of their donors.

Popular

Indonesia may offer dual citizenship to attract overseas workers, minister says

Ministry unveils new funding initiative for climate-resilient health system

Sri Mulyani vows to improve customs services