Not doing enough?

Jakarta seeks cash to fight bird flu

03-Sep-06

INDONESIA hopes to secure about $US100 million ($157 million) to fight bird flu next year, the vice-president has said, after criticism the country is not doing enough to control the disease.

Indonesia has the world's highest death toll from bird flu. Scientists and even the World Bank have called on the government to step up the fight to control the disease.

Experts said public ignorance, along with official ineptitude and lack of money, are hampering efforts to stamp out the disease in the country of 220 million people.

``I asked for certainty from the World Bank and they asked for certainty from our budget. So, both of us ascertained to gather at least $US100 million for next year,'' Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said.

It was not immediately clear if this meant the government's budget to fight the H5N1 bird flu virus would be raised.

The World Bank has been urging Jakarta to increase its budget after it earmarked $US46.5 million to fight bird flu in 2007, down from $US57.37 million slated for this year.

According to government data, together with donor contributions, Indonesia plans to spend about $US93 million this year in fighting bird flu.

Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie said last month Indonesia had not received a single cent pledged by international donors at a global bird flu conference in Beijing in January.

The donors promised $US1.9 billion for the global fight and the World Health Organisation has also criticised some governments for their failure to pay up.

Reuters