VZCZCXRO0550
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #3896/01 0831112
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241112Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1733
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUENMED/BUMED WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9261
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0825
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1854
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1775
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2112
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3347
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0049
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0207

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 003896 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/IET, A/MED AND S/ES-O 
DEPT FOR OES/FO, OES/EID, OES/PCI, OES/STC AND OES/IHA 
DEPT PASS TO USDA/FAS/DLP/HWETZEL AND FAS/ICD/LAIDIG 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO USDA/FAS/FAA/DYOUNG AND USDA/APHIS 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO USAID/ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/BILL STEIGER AND AMAR BHAT 
PARIS FOR FAS/AG MINISTER COUNSELOR 
CANBERRA FOR APHIS/DHANNAPEL 
ROME FOR FAO 
NSC FOR JMELINE 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A 
USPACOM PASS to JO7 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR AMGT KFLU ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA - MARCH 22 AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI) UPDATE 
 
REF: A) Jakarta 3430 and previous 
 
JAKARTA 00003896  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  President Yudhoyono signed a Presidential 
Regulation on March 13 establishing a "National Committee on 
Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Preparedness."  The 
decree designates the Coordinating Minster for Peoples' 
Welfare as the "National Coordinator" for AI policy and 
activities.  Assisted by three deputies, the Coordinator 
will report to the President.  Media reports indicated that 
there are now 6 suspected human AI cases in Takalar Regency, 
South Sulawesi province.  As of March 23, the total number 
of confirmed human AI cases in Indonesia remained at 30 
(with 22 deaths).  We removed a previous probable AI case (a 
42 year-old male from North Jakarta) based on negative 
results from the Hong Kong University laboratory.  However, 
we have added a new probable AI case (a 6 year-old boy 
(deceased) from East Jakarta) based on NAMRU-2 testing. 
International confirmation for this case is pending.  End 
Summary 
 
AI Presidential Regulation 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) signed on 
March 13 Presidential Regulation 7/2006 creating a National 
Committee on Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic 
Preparedness (Komnas FBPI).  A Presidential Regulation 
(Peraturan Presiden) is a step higher in the hierarchy of 
Government of Indonesia (GOI) regulations than the more 
common Presidential decree (Keputusan Presiden).  The 
Regulation's 13 articles detail the roles and 
responsibilities of the National AI Committee (NAC), GOI 
ministries and provincial, district and municipal 
administrations.  It formally designates the Coordinating 
Minister for Peoples' Welfare as NAC Chairman and national 
coordinator for AI policy.  The Regulation notes the need to 
improve the management of AI and increase the awareness of a 
possible influenza pandemic "requires comprehensive steps 
and joint efforts from all national government institutions, 
local governments, the business community, professional 
organizations, non-government organization (NGOs), 
universities and international organizations."  Key 
provisions in the Regulation include: 
 
--Article 2 states that the NAC "is under and reports 
directly to the President," while Article 9 requires the NAC 
to report on its work program and activities every three 
months to and upon request by the President. 
 
-- Article 3 outlines the NAC's main duties, which include 
determining national policy and planning of AI and influenza 
pandemic preparedness; determining the strategic steps 
necessary to prevent, control and manage avian influenza and 
influenza pandemic preparedness; coordinating the 
implementation of preventive measures for animals and 
humans; supervising and evaluating the implementation of 
Indonesia's AI strategy and preparedness; coordinating data 
management and information related to AI, and: providing 
guidance to Provincial Committee and Regent/City Committee 
 
JAKARTA 00003896  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
on all aspects of AI and influenza pandemic alert. 
 
--Article 5 instructs governors, regents and mayors to form 
and chair NACs at their respective levels, develop AI 
policies that reflect the NAC's "policy, strategy and 
guidance," and periodically report their activities to the 
NAC Chairman. 
 
--Articles 6-8 describe the NAC's structure, including the 
creation of a Secretariat headed by the Chairman and an 
option to establish work groups and expert panels when 
necessary. 
 
--Article 10 establishes a four-year mandate for the NAC, 
subject to extension. 
 
--Article 11 stipulates that the NAC will derive its 
operational costs from the national and regional budgets, 
and "other non-binding funding sources." 
 
--Article 12 instructs the NAC Chairman to issue 
implementing regulations for the Presidential Decree, which 
is effective as of March 13, 2006. 
 
¶3. (U) Article 4 of the Regulation sets out the NAC's 
management and members as follows: 
 
A) Board of Management: 
 
--Chairman: Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare 
--Vice Chairman I: Coordinating Minister for the Economy 
--Vice Chairman II: Minister of Agriculture 
--Vice Chairman III: Minister of Health 
 
B) Members 
 
--The Ministers of Internal Affairs; Foreign Affairs; 
Finance; Forestry; Industry; Trade; Transportation, 
Education; Culture and Tourism; Communication and 
Information; Research and Technology; Environment; and 
National Planning; the Head of the Indonesian Armed Forces; 
the Chief of the Indonesian National Police, and; the 
Chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross. 
 
C) Secretary and Member 
 
--Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Marine Affairs, the 
Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs. 
 
FAS Observations from West and Central Java 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) During the Agricultural Counselor's March 6-10 
swing through West and Central Java, it was clear that 
regency and municipal officials responsible for local AI 
surveillance and monitoring had received little in the way 
of direction, systematic guidance or procedural advice from 
provincial Agriculture departments or the Ministry of 
Agriculture in Jakarta.  All reported poultry die-offs as of 
 
JAKARTA 00003896  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
early March 2006, but had not tested for the H5N1 virus 
among dead birds.  There was little liaison with local 
health authorities.  Many local officials expressed a need 
for rapid testing kits, and also hoped the GOI would be able 
to better cover infected areas with a workable poultry 
vaccination program.  None were aware of places where culls 
within 1 kilometer of known AI outbreaks had occurred, the 
stated Agriculture Ministry objective. 
 
Human AI in South Sulawesi? 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) According to a March 20 news item in Metrotvnews.com, 
there are now six suspected human AI cases in Takalar 
Regency in South Sulawesi Province.  The provincial Health 
Department reportedly took blood samples from the six 
patients and sent them to Jakarta for testing.  To date, 
there have been no confirmed human AI cases is South 
Sulawesi province. 
 
Human AI Case Profile 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) During the week of March 20, NAMRU-2 removed a 
previous AI probable case (a 42 year-old male) based on Hong 
Kong University laboratory results.  However, NAMRU-2 has 
determined another probable case of H5N1 infection in a 6 
year-old male from East Jakarta who died on March 19.  NAMRU- 
2 data indicates the following AI-related case profile as of 
March 16: 
 
-- Number of laboratory confirmed (positive PCR and/or 
serology) human AI cases: 30, of which 22 have been fatal 
(fatality rate of 73 percent). 
 
-- Number of probable AI cases: 6, with 5 deaths (fatality 
rate of 83 percent). 
 
-- Number of cases awaiting verification by the US CDC: 2 
 
-- Number of possible AI cases under investigation (last 30 
days): 36. 
 
-- Number of excluded AI cases: 241. 
 
PASCOE