Australia concerned by bird flu reporting

[Guest guest]

Australia concerned by bird flu reporting

PHILIP DORLING, 4/07/2008 11:03:00 PM, Canberra Times

Australia has expressed strong concern that world health authorities

could be unaware of Indonesia's efforts to combat the deadly bird flu

virus after the recent decision to cut back on its reporting obligations.

The office of Health Minister Nicola Roxon has confirmed to The

Canberra Times that Australian authorities sought clarification of

Indonesia's policy on reporting human cases of avian influenza to the

World Health Organisation.

This was after Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari

announced in June that Indonesian authorities would no longer report

individual human cases of bird flu to the WHO and would instead

provide six-monthly reports.

Immediate reporting of bird flu or similar influenza cases is

considered essential to quickly detect any human-to-human transmission

of a virus that could be the beginning of a global pandemic.

To date, human-to-human transmission of the H5N1 virus has not been

detected.

Diplomatic sources said Australia's disquiet about Dr Supari's

statement was very clearly conveyed to Indonesian authorities.

A senior Australian health official involved in national pandemic

planning said Indonesia's management of bird flu was severely deficient.

" Not much has been said publicly for obvious diplomatic reasons, but

[the Indonesians] really can't manage this at all well, " the official

said.

" Their health authorities are weak, sometimes incompetent. There

aren't enough veterinarians and too many backyard chickens. [Health

Minister] Supari is off the planet on avian influenza. She really

doesn't understand the issue.

" We'll probably learn about human-to-human transmission via a tourist

returning to Australia long before the Indonesians report a case to

the WHO. One day a pandemic will be upon us and it may well be

incubated in the Jakarta slums. "

News of the Australian Government's representations in Jakarta came as

Australia hosted the World Poultry Congress in Brisbane with more than

2000 international delegates.

Dr Supari's June announcement attracted widespread criticism from

international health experts who highlighted the importance of prompt

reporting of new infections and warned that Indonesia would be in

violation of International Health Regulations.

Nearly half (110) of the 243 human deaths from bird flu worldwide have

occurred in Indonesia.

The death rate is much higher in Indonesia, with 110 deaths from 135

cases, compared with other Asian countries.

In Vietnam, 106 cases have led to 52 deaths.

Dr Supari has been at odds with the WHO and other countries about bird

flu for more than a year.

She has refused to share Indonesian H5N1 virus samples with other

countries, claiming foreign drug companies would use them to create

vaccines that Indonesia couldn't afford.

Ms Roxon's office declined to say whether the Australian Government

was satisfied with Indonesia's compliance with international health

regulations, and noted that WHO assistant director-general for health

security Dr Heymann had said Indonesian authorities had told the

WHO they would continue to report avian influenza cases.

Australian bird flu expert, Dr , said earlier this week

the risk bird flu might trigger a global pandemic was small, but

health authorities had to be vigilant.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/australia-concerned-by-b\

ird-flu-reporting/804825.aspx