US health chief on bird flu mission
The top US health official arrived in Jakarta today to discuss ways to respond to the bird flu outbreaks.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt arrived for a two-day visit, following stops in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
He will hold talks with Indonesian leaders tomorrow, although he acknowledged that the chances of halting a pandemic if the virus mutates into a more dangerous form are “not good”.
He will discuss Indonesia’s capacity to respond to bird flu outbreaks with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari and Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab, said US Embassy spokesman Max Kwak.
Before leaving Hanoi, Leavitt said his south east Asia tour has painted a clearer picture of just how daunting it would be to identify and contain an outbreak if the virus mutates to a form easily spread among people. It could skip across borders and oceans, killing millions and crippling entire nations.
“Can we create a network of surveillance sufficient enough to find the spark when it happens, to get there fast enough?” he said. “The chances of that happening are not good.”
More than 60 people have died from the virus in south east Asia – three in Indonesia – since the disease began ravaging poultry stocks in the region two years ago. So far, most humans deaths have been linked to contact with birds.
While Indonesia has vowed to do everything possible to combat the deadly H5N1 virus, it also has complained about a lack of funds.
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