The government is claiming success in its efforts to tackle avian flu despite almost half of all the deaths recorded around the world occurring in Indonesia.
Bayu Krisnamurthi, executive chairman of the National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (Komnas FBPI), told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that although Indonesia was leading the world in the number of recorded fatalities from bird flu, “the total number of reported cases keeps decreasing.”
Since the virus first emerged in 2003, 138 people have died from infections in Indonesia, while the worldwide death toll is less than 300. In 2006 alone, more than 40 Indonesians succumbed to the H5N1 virus.
In 2009, however, there were just 13 confirmed deaths from bird flu, the lowest number of fatalities since 2005. “The virus is still sometimes found in poultry and occasionally in humans, but now people already know how to react and respond to the problems,” Bayu said.
He said the improved awareness was proof that the campaigns promoted by the government were working well, and that people were learning about how to prevent transmission and what to do in the event of an outbreak.
Bayu said that in a bid to better integrate programs relating to animal diseases that could be jump to humans, also known by the technical term zoonosis, Komnas FBPI’s would be replaced when its mandate expired on March 13 with a National Committee on Zoonosis (Komnas Zoonosis).
“What we really need now is a stronger position to be able to not only make recommendations, but also act on those recommendations,” he said, adding that the finer details, such as the new body’s budget, were yet to be worked out.
Meanwhile, Chairul Anwar Nidom, a virologist with the Tropical Disease Center at Airlangga University in Surabaya, said the government’s claims of success in controlling bird flu were premature.
“It depends on how you define the word success,” he said. “If it means we have made progress, then yes, we are quite successful, but if it means bird flu in Indonesia is totally under control, then no, we’re still far from being successful.”
Nidom said that even though the number of human fatalities had declined in 2009, the virus remained endemic in poultry across the country.
“As long as the virus is still here, it still has the possibility to infect humans at any time,” he said.
Nidom said bird flu persisted in the nation partly because the government’s programs designed to combat its spread were disorganized and inefficient.
“Each ministry works independently, while they should be working together,” he said.
“Bird flu is a very complex issue because it affects both the health and economic sectors.”
According to Nidom, Komnas FBPI’s successor should be granted more wide-ranging powers to make policy and directly implement it in the field.
Bayu Krisnamurthi, executive chairman of the National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (Komnas FBPI), told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that although Indonesia was leading the world in the number of recorded fatalities from bird flu, “the total number of reported cases keeps decreasing.”
Since the virus first emerged in 2003, 138 people have died from infections in Indonesia, while the worldwide death toll is less than 300. In 2006 alone, more than 40 Indonesians succumbed to the H5N1 virus.
In 2009, however, there were just 13 confirmed deaths from bird flu, the lowest number of fatalities since 2005. “The virus is still sometimes found in poultry and occasionally in humans, but now people already know how to react and respond to the problems,” Bayu said.
He said the improved awareness was proof that the campaigns promoted by the government were working well, and that people were learning about how to prevent transmission and what to do in the event of an outbreak.
Bayu said that in a bid to better integrate programs relating to animal diseases that could be jump to humans, also known by the technical term zoonosis, Komnas FBPI’s would be replaced when its mandate expired on March 13 with a National Committee on Zoonosis (Komnas Zoonosis).
“What we really need now is a stronger position to be able to not only make recommendations, but also act on those recommendations,” he said, adding that the finer details, such as the new body’s budget, were yet to be worked out.
Meanwhile, Chairul Anwar Nidom, a virologist with the Tropical Disease Center at Airlangga University in Surabaya, said the government’s claims of success in controlling bird flu were premature.
“It depends on how you define the word success,” he said. “If it means we have made progress, then yes, we are quite successful, but if it means bird flu in Indonesia is totally under control, then no, we’re still far from being successful.”
Nidom said that even though the number of human fatalities had declined in 2009, the virus remained endemic in poultry across the country.
“As long as the virus is still here, it still has the possibility to infect humans at any time,” he said.
Nidom said bird flu persisted in the nation partly because the government’s programs designed to combat its spread were disorganized and inefficient.
“Each ministry works independently, while they should be working together,” he said.
“Bird flu is a very complex issue because it affects both the health and economic sectors.”
According to Nidom, Komnas FBPI’s successor should be granted more wide-ranging powers to make policy and directly implement it in the field.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/indonesia-says-bird-flu-is-under-control-expert-disagrees/361893
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