VZCZCXRO9608
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1593/01 1591024
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081024Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5013
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J07/CATMED/CAT//
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 7986
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0802
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1009
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7577

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001593 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG AND OES 
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/ABHAT/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH 
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR AMGT PGOV ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA - JUNE 8 AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE 
 
REF: A) Jakarta 1492  B) Jakarta 1331 and previous 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari 
reportedly announced on June 6 that Indonesia and Australia plan to 
jointly develop an AI vaccine, but privately, the Australian Embassy 
and National Institute of Health Research and Development (NIHRD) 
both expressed surprise at this announcement.  On May 28, NIHRD 
Director Dr. Triono Soendoro told visiting Senate Appropriations' 
Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
Minority Clerk Paul Grove that he would be interested in seeking 
"behind the scenes" meetings with the U.S. to find a middle ground 
on material transfer agreements and other sample sharing issues. 
The Indonesian press reported the week of May 27 that the Ministry 
of Health (MOH) would send AI virus samples and other biological 
specimens only to countries and industries that respect Law 32/1992, 
which reportedly requires some sort of a material transfer document. 
The MOH has reported one new AI case since Ref A.  End Summary. 
 
Press Announces Australian-Indonesian Vaccine Plans 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Indonesian press reported on June 7 that Health 
Minister Siti Fadilah Supari had announced that Indonesia and 
Australia plan to jointly develop an AI vaccine.  According to 
Supari, the two countries will detail the cooperation in a 
forthcoming bilateral agreement. Supari reportedly made the 
announcement on June 6 before meeting Australian Minister of Health 
Tony Abbott on the sidelines of the June 6-8 APEC Health Ministers 
meeting.  However, when questioned about the article, staff at both 
the Australian Embassy and NIHRD indicated surprise at the 
announcement.  Australian Embassy contacts expressed some skepticism 
about the report given other inaccurate press stories about an 
alleged promise by Abbott to supply Indonesia with antivirals and 
vaccines.  Dr. Endang Sedyaningsih, the NIHRD's Director of 
Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Development, noted that 
Triono is with the Supari in Australia and may well have discussed a 
joint vaccine development deal.  She added that Indonesia is open to 
agreements with multiple companies. 
 
Staff Delegation visits AI Hospital and BEP Sites 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3. (SBU) During visit to AI related sites on May 28, Triono told 
visiting Senate staff member Paul Grove and the Charge that he is 
interested in meeting "behind the scenes" with USG representatives 
to find compromise solutions to remaining sample sharing concerns. 
Triono noted special interest in meeting with HHS Assistant 
Secretary of Health John Agwunobi.  Triono said he had met briefly 
 
SIPDIS 
with Agwunobi during the May 14-23 World Health Assembly.  Triono 
also praised the Department's Biosecurity Engagement Program for its 
assistance to Libtangkes in designing the Biosafety Level 3 
laboratory and for providing technical training. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In addition to his tour of NIHRD, Grove visited the 
Sulianto Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital, one of Indonesian's 44 
designated AI referral hospitals on May 28 and Balitvet, the 
research laboratory under Ministry of Agriculture on May 29. 
Balitvet staff told Grove that a recently Biosecurity Engagement 
Program (BEP) installed security alarm system had foiled a May 28 
burglary attempt into the lab.  Balitvet staff also praised BEP 
related program assistance. 
 
Indonesian Press Cover AI Sample Sharing Issues 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5. (U) During the week of May 27, Indonesian press ran several 
stories on MOH plans for future sample sharing.  According to a May 
27 story in the Indonesian language daily KOMPAS, the GOI will only 
send AI virus and other biological samples to interested countries 
and industries in accordance with Law 32/1992, which requires 
material transfer documents.  Kompas reported Minister Supari as 
saying on May 26 "I open the door; whoever needs bird flu virus 
samples is welcomed to contact Indonesia. However, because the 
regulations on how to send the samples are not yet available, it 
will be done in line with domestic regulations, including Law 
 
JAKARTA 00001593  002 OF 002 
 
 
32/1992." According to Indonesian regulations, Material Transfer 
Documents (MTDs) must accompany biological specimens so that the 
government knows the identity of specimen recipients and has a 
guarantee that the virus specimens won't be misused. On May 28, 
Media Indonesia featured a similar story.  Indonesia has not sent 
additional samples to the WHO Collaborating Center in Tokyo since 
May 10. 
 
AI Human Case Reports 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The MOH reports one new human AI case since Ref A.  A 
45-year-old Indonesian man from Grobogan, central Java, died of 
suspected H5N1 infection on May 28, two days after hospitalized at 
Muwardi Hospital in Solo.  Ario Wirawan Hospital in Salatiga, West 
Java, referred the man after he exhibited fever and dyspnea for two 
weeks.  His illness began 19 May, after he reportedly consumed a 
sick chicken.  Six of his chickens died several weeks previously. 
The NIHRD laboratory confirmed the samples. 
 
¶7. (SBU) As of June 8, both the MOH and WHO report 99 total 
confirmed human AI cases in Indonesia with 79 deaths for a fatality 
rate of 80%. 
 
HEFFERN