Indonesia receives donations from China for avian influenza

Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture formally received goods to control Avian Influenza (AI) worth at about 910,000 U.S. dollars donated by the Chinese government in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The goods are in the forms of AI vaccines, injection apparatus, disinfectants, apparatus, serological and etiological diagnostic reagents, equipment and individual safety items.

They were transported by air to Jakarta airport in early April 2007, and are now being distributed to four provinces in Java Island namely Banten, West Java, Central Java and East Java.

"I hope the grant assistance from the government of China can motivate and enhance the capacity of field officers of local governments, particularly in the distribution areas, mostly in provinces of Java Island," said Dr. Anton Apriyantono, Minister of the Agriculture of Indonesia.

"The Chinese government is willing to offer assistance to Indonesian government and people in the campaign of anti AI within capability. We hope both side go on improving cooperation and communication in the field of AI prevention and treatment,"Lan Lijun, the Chinese ambassador to Indonesia, said on the donation delivery ceremony.

These goods are just first shipment cent by China. In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Chinese government and the Indonesian government on Economic and Technical Cooperation signed in Bali in October 2006, China promised to provide a grant at the amount of 20 million RMB (about 2.6 million U.S. dollars) to the government of Indonesia on its AI control program.

Lan also mentioned that the Chinese government in addition offered a special assistance program on AI through the World Bank, and the Indonesian government also raised its application.

Indonesia is the world's worst hit country by AI, with 97 cases of human infection have being confirmed by Health Ministry update, 77 of them were fatal.

The Chinese government had committed to assist the effort implemented by Indonesia in combating AI since it occurred in the country.

Source: Xinhua