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JAKARTA: Singapore is exploring ways to further enhance its collaboration with neighbouring country, Indonesia, to fight against bird flu.
Together with the United States, they have implemented a pilot project in Tangerang – a district just outside Jakarta – to carry out surveillance and measures to control the disease which has killed more than 110 Indonesians.
On Tuesday, Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, visited the project site which is considered the epicentre of bird flu in Indonesia. Almost all of the 25 residents there died after being infected by the virus.
"This pilot project is really to try to find out the nature of the disease, how it is spread, what the symptoms are and how best it can be controlled," said Dr Balaji.
Costing US$4.5 million, the three-year pilot project looks at the whole chain of bird flu infection – from the traditional market where fowls are sold, to the hospitals where humans are diagnosed and treated.
Public health education in schools and villages are also being conducted.
Dr Balaji said: "I'm very happy with the work they're doing here. There are conscientious doctors here... they are collecting data which I think is useful and very important to the world."
Despite the intensive efforts over the past year, the district continues to see residents infected by the bird flu virus. Local authorities are planning to relocate a number of slaughtering houses and traditional markets.
- CNA/so
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