Anggota Panel Ahli Komnas FBPI, Dr. IGN Mahardika untuk Jakarta Post, 23 April 2008
The nature of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus -- popularly known as bird flu -- itself brings difficulties in its control. Curbing its infection and spread needs to be well organized and concerted, nation-wide. Like a concert, there must be a single conductor.
The intrinsic nature of the virus makes it difficult to be fully controlled. The vaccine should be adjusted to the most current strains. Antiviral agents might lose their effectiveness quickly.
Moreover, a genetic makeup of that kind leads to a complex virus ecology. Considering evolution, the influenza virus is strictly species related. Avian influenza is limited to avian species only, while swine influenza to pig, equine influenza to horse, and human influenza to people.
As proven, however, the bird flu virus is capable of infecting a variety of species. It has expanded its host range from domesticated birds to wild birds and mammals, such as dogs, cats, pigs and even tigers.
Within this situation, the virus will continue to be disseminated by sick and healthy animals. It does not recognize any boundary. The risk in Aceh might be as high as in Java and Papua. It might happen in Indonesia, China, as well as in the United States. The risk level might differ in one area, depending primarily on animal and people densities. Wild bird and international travelers contribute to the globalization of the bugs.
Nowadays, the control of bird flu in Indonesia is disorganized. There is a conductor in every related ministry. Down to provincial and district level, there are other conductors. In the name of autonomy, every province or district has its own strategy to control the bug.
If we go deeper, the bird flu control does not find fertile ground within the community, private industry and government agencies. A part of the community is still unwilling to report any suspected case. People are afraid to be exposed by the media and their birds could be culled thereafter.
So far, bird flu control initiative can not penetrate giant poultry industries. Top officers in this country have said, on various occasions, the state has no access to major poultry industries, known as sector 1 and 2.
This kind of indifference is also supported by local governments. Officers try hard to keep any suspected case silent. The reasons vary. It might be for community stability, poultry industry existence, or tourism safety issues.
We are dealing with a bug that could infect anyone in the planet, rich or poor. If it would happen, there will be no mantra to stop the industry people, their workers and families from becoming infected. The magic of tourism will also lose its sorcery.
International agencies seem to work without coordination as well. Some projects sound very donor driven. Its sustainability is arguable. Some are carried out without the government and society's willingness to adopt them.
The result, not surprisingly, is disharmony. We understand a lot of things have been done and a bulk of funds have been disbursed for bird flu control. Notwithstanding effort, animal and human cases happen out of control. Outbreaks are continuously reported. The up and down pattern expresses merely that the disease is endemic with very little human intervention.
We should find a concerted action to handle this. It must be a single national task force. The National Committee on Bird Flu and Influenza Pandemic Preparedness (Komnas FBPI) was established to coordinate actions to control bird flu. Unfortunately, ego, funding, and autonomy issues have hampered its action.
To be effective, the Komnas should be led by the president or vice president. The head of executive secretary should be a ministry level. This problem of the strata of officers, known as 'eselon', will be diminished.
Komnas must be a task force that works at all level of activities, including research and surveillance, community awareness, communication, and legal and enforcement. It must work based on the best scientific evidence. All stakeholders, such as research institutes, universities, private industries, non-government organizations, lawmakers and enforcers, mass media, etc, must support the task force. All segments must work accordingly.
Available funding should go to it. International donors should work under the Komnas umbrella.
In this regard, international scientist collaboration is a must. The task force will be a port de'entre for international experts to work hand-in-hand with local counterparts.
Nothing is at stake. Neither the livelihood nor poultry industry is. Neither the tourism industry nor national dignity is. We simply save life.
The writer is a virologist at School of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali. He can be reached at gnmahardika@indosat.net.id.
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