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Viewing cable 08JAKARTA2290, INDONESIA - DECEMBER 17 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08JAKARTA2290 2008-12-19 02:37 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Jakarta
VZCZCXRO0237
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2290/01 3540237
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190237Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1012
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJB/DOJ WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7852
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002290 
 
SIPDIS 
UNCLASSIFIED 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG, L/DL, EAP/EX, AND OES/IHA 
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO DOJ for OFL 
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN 
USDA/FAS/OSTA BRANT, ROSENBLUM 
USDA/APHIS ANNELLI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO EAGR AMGT PGOV ID KLIG
SUBJECT: INDONESIA - DECEMBER 17 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE 
 
1.(SBU) Summary.  During a December 16-17 strategy meeting on 
controlling avian influenza in western Java, Ministry of Agriculture 
authorities released statistics showing that while Indonesian 
municipaiities affected with poultry AI outbreaks increasedi(n 2008, 
the number of birds stricken with the dssease decreased by 90%.  On 
December 10, the Mayor of Tangerang ordered municipal officials to 
leave a Tangerang Secretariat baseline health survey meeting when 
the Mayor learned that Banten provincial officials had distributed 
Tangerang avian influenza central funds to other parts of the Banten 
province. On December 10-13, Dr. Sangkot Marzuki convened the 
Wallacea Conference in Makassar, as a vehicle to relaunch 
Indonesia's National Academy of Scientists.  End Summary. 
 
 
Ministry of Agriculture Announces AI Case Decrease 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
2. (U) During a press conference on the sides of a two-day AI 
strategy session focusing on western Java, Ministry of Agriculture 
Director General of Animal Health Tjeppy Soedjana announced that 
while number of affected regions has increased, the number of 
animals stricken with avian influenza has significantly decreased. 
According to Ministry of Agriculture statistics, the number of 
municipalities with confirmed bird flu cases has increased from 60 
in 2003, to 294 in 2008, while infections among birds has decreased 
from 483,364 in 2007 to 46,014 in 2008.  According to Tjeppy, 
between 2009 and 2011, the government plans to focus on the 
following areas: Jakarta, West Java, East Java, Central Java, 
Yogyakarta, South Sulawesi, and Lampung. The government will try to 
better manage traditional markets and poultry collection centers to 
stop the disease from spreading and will also take steps to control 
the poultry slaughterhouses and the transportation of the poultry. 
Several Indonesian newspapers carried the story on December 17. 
 
3.(U) Excerpts from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) 
issued during the conference include "... the Ministry of 
Agriculture working in close cooperation with local governments, has 
made significant gains in improving HPAI surveillance, prevention, 
and control capacity throughout the country with control achieved in 
a number of areas.  Ministry of Agriculture data indicates that HPAI 
does not appear to be spreading to new areas, and overall geographic 
range appears to be decreasing along with a general decrease in 
disease incidence, although some areas are still heavily affected. 
This indicates, that 1) HPAI can be controlled in Indonesia, 2) the 
Government of Indonesia is capable of controlling this disease, and 
3) that more work is required to bring the disease under full 
control, particularly on Java." 
 
4.(U) According to technical experts, the increase in reporting of 
the number of AI affected villages since 2003 is likely attributed 
to two things 1) uncontrolled spread of the virus from 2003 to early 
2005 due to lack of a systematic control program and, 2) increased 
surveillance of village poultry by USAID funded teams. Recent data 
indicates that the geographic spread has decreased with no outbreaks 
reported in Kalimantan in 2008 and significant decreases in 
outbreaks in Bali and East Java.  Experts believe that the 
geographic range and number of poultry outbreaks is a better 
indicator of the status of avian influenza in Indonesia rather than 
the number of diseased birds.  According to informal industry 
sources, the poultry industry continues to have significant problems 
with the disease, with outbreaks not captured by the current 
government surveillance system. 
 
Tangerang Project Meeting Disrupted by Politics 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
5.(SBU) On 10 December, the Tangerang AI trilateral project 
Secretariat held a workshop to disseminate the findings of health 
baseline study of poultry production and distribution sites in 
Tangerang.  Municipal workers who collected the data for the project 
were invited to attend the workshop. However, shortly after arrival, 
the Tangerang Mayor's office ordered that these employees leave the 
meeting and return to work due to the Mayor's displeasure with 
funding.  The Government of Indonesia planned to provide Tangerang 
District and Municipality with 45 billion rupiah ($4.1 million) for 
Avian Influenza activities. However, central authorities transferred 
funds to the Governor of Banten's office who then distributed the 
 
JAKARTA 00002290  002 OF 002 
 
 
funds to the other districts and municipalities in the Banten 
province.  Officials cite that the governor believes Tangerang 
municipality should rely on funds from foreign donors.  The 
Government of Singapore, the U.S. and the Tangerang Trilateral 
Secretariat do not provide funds to support the municipality. 
 
 
Academy of Science's Wallacea Conference A Success 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
6. (U) The Indonesian Academy of Sciences, led by Dr. Sangkot 
Marzuki, convened its first conference entitled, "Letter from 
Ternate" in Makassar from 10-13 December. Over 230 Indonesian and 
foreign scientists and other professionals attended. The conference 
focused on the importance of Indonesia to the development of the 
theory of evolution and provided a venue for discussion of future 
international scientific partnerships. The Academy, dormant for some 
time, also used the conference to reintroduce and promote itself. 
Academy members will issue a declaration drafted in the meeting on 
the topic of preserving Indonesia's biodiversity. 
 
HUME