April 27, 2007

Indonesia backpedals on promise to share bird flu samples

Indonesia has gone back on its promise to resume sending bird flu samples to the World Health Organization, given a month ago at a high level WHO meeting.

Indonesian health officials returned to its complaint a month ago, saying it is unfair for WHO to hand over their bird viruses to drug companies to research new vaccines, arguing any vaccine produced would likely be out of reach for poor countries.

Some international scientists have accused the government of holding the virus hostage, keeping experts from monitoring a dangerous disease that may threaten the world.

However, Indonesia remains adamant. Dr Triono Soendoro, head of the National Institute for Health Research and Development maintained that his country was fighting for a bigger cause.

The government has reported 74 human deaths from bird flu since its first outbreak two years ago - more than a third of the world's total.

Indonesia stopped sending viruses in January. In March, its health ministry announced it would share the virus samples with the WHO if the WHO shares the virus samples with vaccine companies only with Indonesia's permission.

Still, a month later, no samples have been sent and in a recent newspaper editorial the country's Health Ministry spokeswoman complained of "exploitation of industrialised countries of poor countries".