A Bird Flu Free Indonesia Not Likely

Although it is nearing a global problem, Bird flu will eventually affect our way of life unless a suitable vaccine can be produced. Mutations of the virus seem to be a great threat.

Leading veterinarians doubt that Indonesia will be bird flu free in the near future due to haphazard implementation of the government's programs to combat its spread. The government's bird flu plans were excellent on paper but the implementation was ineffective.

The dean of UGM's School of Veterinary Medicine warned that if vaccination, eradication, research, early detection and public awareness promotion were not carried out by all government institutions simultaneously there was no guarantee when H5N1 would be brought under control.

Incidental culling in one area and vaccination in another would not ensure the virus would be gone. Messy procedures in handling the virus will only make it more threatening. None of the programs would succeed if government officials working in the field used different kinds of vaccines while the researchers chose different levels of laboratories.

Meanwhile foreign experts at an avian influenza conference said vaccination cannot stand alone in containing bird flu with the attendant need for strict control, firm bio-security measures and public awareness campaigns.

Studies in several countries showed that successful vaccinations relied on a high quality vaccine, a well planned monitoring program, comprehensive surveillance for early detection and enhanced bio-security. The latter concerned isolation, disposal of waste, dead birds and disinfection.

Thailand has been able to control the AI problem within a short period of time through the combination of vaccination, active surveillance, culls providing compensation and an outbreak response as well as improvement of farming standards.