Govt told to commit to bird flu battle. Really?
Indonesia leads the world for human deaths from H5N1 with 47, including 36 this year. From the beginning, according to The Jakarta Post, the government took the wrong approach to handling the virus. They dealt with it like they dealt with seasonal dengue outbreaks and other infectious diseases. And it’s unbelievable that governmment even has reduced its budget to battle bird flu.
World Bank country director Andrew Steer said Wednesday that the government’s lack of commitment in dealing with the avian flu outbreak presented a major hurdle in securing crucial financial support from international donors.
“We have tried to work with the international community to be more supportive, but it’s difficult to make that case if Indonesia’s contribution is declining,” Steer said after a meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
While the international donor community has pledged to raise about US$60 million next year from about $40 million this year for the bird flu campaign, the government has reduced its budget to $40 million, he said.
From The Jakarta Post