Thank-you for Being Evil - the Indonesian Health Minister Becomes a Member of the WHO Executive Board
I thought it was bad when Margaret Chan became Director-General of the WHO as I have pointed out here, here, here and here. But things can always get worse.
The Detikcom news website reports Siti Fadilah Supari has been elected unanimously
during the 60th World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva,
The health minister says the nomination represents world recognition and appreciation of
Indonesia's active role in coping with global health problem.
Recall that Dr. Supari, the Indonesian Health Minister, is one of the persons responsible for blocking samples from H5N1 cases in Indonesia being sent to the WHO, supposedly because they want total control over any vaccines made as result of analysis of samples from Indonesia. From TIME:
Indonesia Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari tells TIME that there's been a lack of
"goodwill" from the WHO, and that Indonesia won't share a single virus with the
international community until it receives a "green light" from the WHO that Jakarta would
retain commercial control of its samples. "We feel let down by the WHO," she said in an
interview last Friday. "We only demand fairness."
But when pressed on exactly what Indonesia what it will take to get that "green light," Supari
is less than specific. She says she doesn't necessarily need an agreement in "black and
white" recognizing Indonesia's ownership rights, yet goes on to argue that Jakarta should
have final say on any vaccines made from its viruses.
[snip]
Supari told TIME that "the current unfair access to vaccines worsens the global inequality
between the rich and the poor, between the North and the South — and I think that is more
dangerous than a pandemic."
This action was dangerous and irresponsible because without the information from these samples we are blind to how H5N1 is evolving. We may miss early warning that a pandemic has begun. In fact, shortly before Dr. Supari announced the data blockade, I noted that there is evidence for a geographical cluster in Jakarta, a dangerous new development.
Recently, Indonesia has sent 3 samples, out of 15 cases, to the WHO. We don't know yet whether virus can be isolated from these samples or what restrictions were put on dissemination of the results. Nor do we know if or when other samples will be sent to the WHO.
The unapologetic, in-your-face repudiation of basic public health practices by Dr. Supari is disgusting. The fact that she was rewarded for this despicable behaviour by being elected to the WHO Executive Board should be absolute proof that the WHO has lost all credibility as an honest member of the public health establishment. Their hypocrisy cannot be denied.
A sad day indeed.
Saturday, May 19, 2007