U.S. Government Initiative to Help Combat Avian Influenza

April 16, 2007

Bahasa Indonesia

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) opened its office in Jakarta . The office will accelerate U.S. Government efforts to support the Indonesian Government, multilateral organizations, and other donors working to help fight the spread of avian influenza among Indonesia ’s poultry population.

In his opening remarks, U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture Charles Lambert said: “This office exemplifies the U.S. Government’s commitment to on-the-ground support of the Indonesian Government’s overall management and mitigation strategies.” Staffed by four Indonesian scientists and support personnel, the APHIS Jakarta office will be headed by Dr. Max Coats, a veterinarian experienced in the design and implementation of poultry disease control programs.

The U.S. Government has committed about $24 million to combat avian influenza in Indonesia since July 2005. This office represents just one of the several U.S. Government offices in Indonesia involved in fighting high pathogenic avian influenza. In addition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are active in Indonesia supporting the Indonesian Government in their fight against avian influenza.

Controlling high pathogenic avian influenza is crucial to the long-term viability of Indonesia ’s poultry industry, smallholder poultry producers, and many others who make their livelihood from this sector and poultry consumers. Therefore, the U.S. government is seeking to work closely with the National Commission for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Preparedness (KOMNAS FBPI) and the Indonesian Ministries of Agriculture and Health, as well as Indonesian private sector poultry producers, the Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization, as well as the Governments of Singapore, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands and others.

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