Jakarta, NU Online
The Indonesian government was expected to take more aggressive measures in dealing with avian influenza (AI) cases which have been posing a threat to 29 out of 33 provinces in Indonesia.
As reported by the national news agency Antara, the Indonesian government has to be more aggressive as many AI cases have caused human deaths, Veterinarian of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) John Weaver said here Thursday after a meeting between the Indonesian government and its key partners in handling bird flu.
<>Sharing John Weaver’s views, the World Bank’s chief representative in Indonesia Andrew Steer also said that the Indonesian government should work harder in tackling the fatal disease transmitted by poultry.He said the Indonesian government’s response to the spread of AI virus, which tended to be passive should be changed in order that the AI virus would no longer be a threat to human beings.
The condition was expected to improve in the next three months, Andrew said, adding that his side would give technical support among other things in dealing with the AI virus.
According to him, the spread of the AI virus in Indonesia has been alarming but the government has yet to allocate enough funds to overcome the disease.
He noted that the Indonesian government has even reduced the budget for efforts to deal with bird flu cases from US$54.4 million in 2006 to US$46.5 million in 2007.
The budget for the purpose should amount to US$250 million per year but the government has until now allocated less than US$100 million per year, he said.
He reminded that bird flu was not only a threat to human lives but also to Indonesia’s economic growth, and therefore, the budget for handling the problem should be increased and efforts to deal with the case should be intensified.
Until now, the condition of the AI virus, type A, sub-type H5NI in Indonesia has yet to be declared on a decline.
According to the National Commission on Bird Flu Control and Alertness of Influenza Pandemic, 29 out of the 33 provinces in Indonesia have become endemic of AI virus on poultry.
AI cases on human beings still appear sporadic in different areas in the country and the number of people tested positive for the AI virus had reached 62, and 47 of them had died. (dar)