VZCZCXRO5628
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2168 2210901
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090901Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5722
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 8069
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0987
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1014
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7593

UNCLAS JAKARTA 002168 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG AND OES 
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH 
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN 
 
E.O. 12598: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO EAGR CASC KHIV PGOV KFLU ID
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HEALTH AND RESEARCH ISSUES WITH 
MINISTER OF HEALTH SUPARI 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. Minister of Health Dr. Siti Fadilah Supari told 
the Ambassador on August 9 that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is 
committed to cooperation with USG.  Describing Indonesia's pressing 
health concerns including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and avian 
influenza (AI), she said the Government of Indonesia (GOI) is 
pleased with USG collaboration on various health challenges and 
thanked USAID and NAMRU-2 for their support. The Minister raised the 
AI vaccine issue and indicated that the GOI would be entering into 
clinical trials with Baxter International Inc. on a H5N1 human 
vaccine beginning in September.  The Ambassador cited the complexity 
of the AI vaccine issue and the importance of its resolution.  He 
also raised the possibility of National Institute of Allergy and 
Infectious Disease (NIAID) officials visiting GOI laboratories at a 
later date in order to foster greater research collaboration. End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Hume paid a courtesy call on Minister of Health 
Dr. Supari on August 9.  Other MOH officials at the meeting included 
Dr. Triono Soendoro (Director General for the National Institute for 
Health Research and Development), and Dr. Sjafii Ahmad, MOH General 
Secretary. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Health Concerns, Avian Influenza and Research 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU)  The Minister described Indonesia's pressing health 
concerns as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and AI and thanked the 
Ambassador for USG support.  Dr. Triono then described positive 
research collaboration with the Department's Biosecurity Engagement 
Program and progress on the NAMRU-2 memorandum of understanding. 
Dr. Triono also described the launch of a public health baseline 
research project involving collection of blood samples from 80,000 
households that would help analyze diseases among Indonesian 
ethnicities. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Minister raised AI, noted that Indonesia had signed a 
memorandum of understanding with Baxter to develop a human vaccine 
using the Indonesian AI virus strain.  Indonesia planned to begin 
clinical trials on the vaccine in September.  Dr. Triono noted that 
Baxter was the only company that responded to Indonesia's invitation 
for collaboration in November 2005. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that cooperation on health issues is 
of paramount importance because it impacts human lives.  He noted 
the complexity of the avian influenza and vaccine development issues 
and the importance of their resolution.  The Ambassador described 
his recent visit to NIAID to learn more about vaccine development 
concerns.  He noted that NIAID's Research Director Dr. Cliff Lane 
expressed interest in joining him for a future tour of GOI 
laboratories, with the possibility of fostering closer research 
cooperation between institutions.  The Ambassador and Minister 
pledged to look for ways for continued collaboration on health 
issues. 
 
HUME