Minister Asks WHO to Change Virus Monitoring

Friday, 12 December, 2008 | 20:37 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Health Minister Fadilah Supari called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to make significant changes in their monitoring and distribution systems of the influenza avian flu (H5N1) virus. This was conveyed at the opening of the Inter-country Advanced Meeting - Influenza Pandemic Preparations held on December 7-13 in Geneva, Switzerland, as reported in a press release received yesterday. 

Indonesia is currently refusing to send H5N1 samples which originated from avian flu patients in the country. The government is pointing at a number of cases in which the Indonesian virus type was included in a patent application proposal of a US company. These issues were seen to be proof that the current system is no longer functioning properly and is causing harm to developing countries, where the virus originated. 

ABDUL MANAN