Indonesia’s Bird Flu
Commission
Recommends More
Robust AI
Vaccination Campaign
Jakarta, 14 June
2007-
The head
of Indonesia’s bird
flu coordinating
committee today
recommended a more
robust vaccination
program and other
steps to bring avian
influenza under
control in the bird
population. Mr. Bayu
Krisnamurthi
announced the new
recommendations
following two days
of consultations
with international
experts in Jakarta.
“We have learned a
lot in the past
several years about
controlling the
virus and we must
use what we have
learned to improve
and expand the AI
program to ensure
that communities
across this vast
archipelago are no
longer at risk” said
Bayu Krisnamurthi,
Chief Executive of
Indonesia’s National
Coordinating
Committee for Avian
Influenza Control
and Pandemic
Influenza
Preparedness (KOMNAS
FBPI). Mr.
Krisnamurthi said
that while
vaccination is
occurring in many
areas, as few as 25%
are properly
vaccinated in rural
and backyard farms.
He said the new
recommendations will
improve the
effectiveness of the
vaccination program.
Mr. Krisnamurthi
said that at
present, three
vaccine strains
should be used
(inactivated
homologous
oil-based-emulsion
H5N1, or
heterologous H5N2 or
H5N9). He called for
an integrated
vaccination program
that clearly
outlines every step
of the process
including selecting
vaccine, logistics,
and human resources.
The effectiveness of
vaccine is another
crucial issue that
will be addressed.
“It is vital that
all vaccines used
are approved by the
Department of
Agriculture and
given to healthy
poultry under the
supervision of a
veterinarian. A
successful
vaccination program
must be well funded
with qualified
vaccinators and
logistical support,”
said Mr.
Krisnamurthi.
All vaccines should
be registered and
authorized by the
Ministry of
Agriculture. Other
areas that need to
be addressed include
linking vaccination
with bio-security,
expanding
vaccination programs
to include chickens
as well as other
birds, and targeting
vaccination
campaigns in high
risk areas. He
stressed that only
healthy flocks
should be
vaccinated, under
the guidance of a
veterinarian. The
vaccine used and the
vaccination process
will have to be
revaluated over time
according to the
development of the
virus in the field,
he said.
Following expert
consultations, Mr.
Krisnamurthi said it
is clear that more
work is needed in
other areas as well,
such as
strengthening and
expanding animal
health services,
restructuring the
poultry industry
from production
through to retai
sales. Experts
pledged to continue
to work with the
Government of
Indonesia and
support KOMNAS FBPI
to control the virus
in poultry and
reduce the threat of
a pandemic.
“The ability of the
H5N1 virus to cause
human disease and
death and the
potential for the
emergence of a major
human influenza
pandemic virus has
dramatically
increased official
concerns,” said
Laurence Gleeson,
Regional Head of the
Emergency Center for
Transboundary Animal
Diseases for the
Food and Agriculture
Organization.
The avian influenza
virus is a highly
pathogenic virus
that mainly affects
birds. In rare
cases, the disease
can also infect
humans. Experts fear
that so called bird
flu could change
into a novel
influenza virus that
spreads easily
between humans, with
the potential to
ignite a global
influenza pandemic.
There are steps that
every Indonesian can
take to lower the
risk of contracting
the H5N1 virus.
- Do not touch
sick or dying
birds; if you
do, immediately
wash your hands
and report to
local
authorities.
- Wash your
hands and
utensils with
soap and water
before you eat
or cook. Cook
all poultry and
eggs well.
- Separate
your birds and
separate all new
flocks for two
weeks.
- Go
immediately to a
health clinic if
you have a fever
with flu-like
symptoms and
have had contact
with birds.
KOMNAS Media
Center
Tod Mohammed
(International
Media)
0811936674
tod.mohamed@gmail.com
Arie Rukmantara
(National Media)
0817754548
rukmantara@gmail.com
