Speech By Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Minister For Health At The Ceremonial Hand-Over Of Singapore's Assistance Package On Avian Influenza to the Department of Health, Jakarta, Indonesia

25 Nov 2005

By Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Minister For Health

Venue: Jakarta, Indonesia

Your Excellency Dr Siti Fadillah Supari,

Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good afternoon

  Last week, APEC Leaders met in Busan, S Korea.  Bird flu was one hot topic which engaged their attention. 

  This is not surprising as flu pandemic is one great uncertainty which can derail the economic growth of APEC countries.  The Asian Development Bank has warned that such a pandemic could even push the world economy into recession. 

  So a flu pandemic is not something to take lightly.  As in most healthcare matters, prevention is better than cure.  Given its catastrophic nature, it is worth the efforts of countries to try to prevent it from happening.

  With this in mind, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met at the sidelines of APEC and agreed that we should work together to find practical ways to deal with this threat.  Specifically, they have asked us to explore how we can exploit science and technology to enhance the national surveillance and control system. 

  As Indonesia is a huge country, setting up a world-class national surveillance and control system will be a major challenge.  But we can try to overcome the challenge in two ways. 

  First, involve more partners in this challenge, such as the US, Australia, Japan and the international agencies like the WHO, FAO, OIE and the World Bank.  I am sure many countries are willing to help us in this important endeavor.  The US has signaled its willingness to help. 

  Second, we should, in the first instance, focus our energy in a more limited area and learn quickly from this pilot project before we extend the successful formula to the rest of Indonesia.  This is, I think, a practical way forward.

  Your Excellency, just now we have had a very useful discussion.  We both recognise the enormous challenge ahead and the urgency of the matter.  That's why I came here so soon after our leaders' discussion last week, to help tee up some arrangements, so that soon after President Yudhoyono returns from his overseas trip, we can help his assigned team to get the implementation of this pilot project off the ground.

  Besides the pilot project, Prime Minister has earlier offered a package of bird flu assistance, which I am formally handing over to the Indonesian Government today.

  Our package covers capacity building in both veterinary and public health, such as training and technical support to help in surveillance, outbreak management, diagnostics and infection control.  We will also provide reference laboratory services including confirmatory H5N1 tests using molecular sequencing.

  We will share our pandemic preparedness plans and provide 5,000 sets of antiviral medication (Tamiflu), personal protective equipment for health-care workers, and rapid diagnostic kits for H5N1.

  This modest package is a small gesture, but we hope it reflects the abundant goodwill that we bring from my people to yours and our commitment to help our closest neighbour within our limited means. It is a continuation of our close working relationship, built up over the years.

  The tsunami tragedy last year has strengthened these strong ties. Today, our common battle against avian influenza will bond