VZCZCXRO0201
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0679/01 1050929
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150929Z APR 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2120
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7884

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000679 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, OES/AIAG 
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/ABHAT/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH 
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED EAGR AMGT PGOV ID
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH HEALTH MINISTER SUPARI 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari told 
Ambassador Hume she welcomes a meeting with Avian Influenza Special 
Representative Robert Loftis and hopes that remaining sample sharing 
concerns will be resolved at the World Health Assembly in May. 
Ambassador briefed her on USG health cooperation with other 
countries.  He repeated interest of Secretary Clinton in health 
cooperation with Indonesia, but he cautioned that a larger 
relationship would need to include successful resolution of sample 
sharing issue and status of NAMRU-2. End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
AI SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE'S VISIT TO INDONESIA 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2. (SBU) On April 14, Ambassador Hume told Minister Supari that 
Ambassador Robert Loftis, the U.S. Special Representative for Avian 
and Pandemic Influenza, would visit Indonesia from April 15-17 to 
participate in the Environment, Science, Technology and Health 
conference.  Loftis will call on key government officials and other 
partners involved in controlling avian influenza.  Minister Supari 
expressed interest in meeting with Loftis to discuss remaining 
sample sharing concerns.  She said that she hoped sample sharing 
will be resolved in time for the May World Health Assembly.  The 
Ambassador agreed to set up a meeting with Loftis. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
U.S. HEALTH ENGAGEMENT IN OTHER COUNTRIES 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador said that he is committed to keeping health 
on the agenda for the Indonesian -U.S. comprehensive partnership. 
He shared a general description of U.S. health programs in other 
countries: 
 
-- In South Africa the large program was funded mainly by PEPFAR and 
targeted at HIV/AIDS, but some research and cooperation continued on 
other issues, such as tuberculosis and infectious diseases. 
 
-- In Vietnam PEPFAR was again the main element, but attention was 
also give to issues that remain from the Vietnam war.  The United 
States and Vietnam also had a program for Vietnamese scientists to 
do advanced study in the United States. 
 
-- In China the programs included some attention to HIV/AIDS, but 
cooperation included attention to other infectious diseases, such as 
avian flu, and other health problems. 
 
-- In India much of the health relationship was directed at 
HIV/AIDS, but there were substantial programs for Indian 
post-doctorate researchers to train with NIH as well as cooperation 
including research in India. 
 
-- In Egypt NAMRU was a key part of the health relationship, and it 
performed many collaborative research projects with the government. 
Health was also an important part of the USAID operation. 
 
------------------------------------ 
MINISTER SAYS SHE WANTS TO COOPERATE 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  The Minister reaffirmed that she wants to build a strong 
relationship with the USG on health, especially on research.  After 
indicating a particular interest in training opportunities, she 
asked if "brain drain" was a problem in the relationship with India. 
 Hume responded that Indonesia would have to greatly increase the 
number of its scientists qualified to engage in post doctoral 
research.  According to Indonesian government statistics, the 
country has only 8,000 PHDs, while each year 60,000 Indians are 
studying for doctoral degrees in the USA.  The USG would welcome an 
opportunity to build the relationship through educating and training 
more scientists and encouraging a culture conducive to clinical 
research in Indonesia.  However, a stronger relationship would have 
to include completion of the positive talks on sample sharing and 
resolution of the issues still confronted by NAMRU-2.  The USG could 
look at different ways to address Indonesian concerns.  The form of 
the recently concluded bi-national board on education might be a 
model.  Supari welcomed the offer to look for a way to resolve these 
issues and said she would like to meet again after the May WHO 
session. 
 
JAKARTA 00000679  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶5. Note:  Following the meeting, Dr. Widjaja Lukito, Senior Advisor 
to the Minister of Health, called Embassy staff to indicate that 
Supari was pleased with the meeting.  She had already directed her 
staff to convene a study group to consider the Ambassador's NAMRU-2 
proposal. 
 
HUME