Strategy of Early Warning: Where Is It???
"WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to essential care and collective defence against transnational threats." http://www.who.int/about/en/
This is the opening statement from the World Health Organization. You know, the one that is supposed to keep you informed and warn you of impending epidemics of any kind?
Since Avian Influenza first flew onto the scene in 1997, there have been numerous warnings and reports of the dangers of a pandemic possibly arising from this virus,and the WHO was on top of it. Reporting was heavy, and people were alarmed at the high death rate that was possible from the virusH5N1.
In recent years however, there has been a decisive lack of honest reporting of 'Bird flu", not only by the media, but by the very source of information we are asked to depend on. Thats right, the good ole' WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
When the idea of another great pandemic entered the mainstream media, all coverage was fair game. The president was on TV, movies were made and even Oprah had an entire show devoted to the subject. People were aware that it could come soon, and indeed it looked that way to many. Luckly, that did not happen and humans on a whole have had extra time to prepare for it's inevitable arrival. The threat has not gone away, but has been slowed by killing millions of birds and taking a certain kind of medicine. This strategy has just about run it's course and may soon be useless.
That leaves us the strategy of early warning. Where is it?
The indonesian gov't and the WHO, have decided to withold information that is vital to the warning of the world, as to how close a pandemic may be. The Indonesian Health minister, has decided to withhold information on cases of bird flu in her country.
Well I did some checking and Indonesia is still a member of the united nations. http://www.un.org/members/notes/indonesia.htm
These reports are supposed to be timely and comprehensively reported to the WHO. They are then in turn, are to report these infections, deaths and clusters of cases to the rest of the United Nations and general public at large. Our own respective governments should be doing this also.
I am not seeing very much of it at all. In fact, they seem fit to read stories internet bloggers have found and still refuse to post timely reports of these outbreaks. They act as though we are blind to the whole thing. That time has come to an end.
With the constant denial of lab confirmed cases and suspected cases surrounding H5N1, the Indonesian government puts the health of the entire world at risk . They are not alone in this aspect, as China and the United States are willing participants in this coverup. Avian Influenza H5N1, originates from China, yet they barely report any cases of it. China raises more birds than any country in the world and eat many other animals, all capable of harboring this disease and many others. Ever since the the election of the WHO's new Director General, Margaret Chan, bird flu reportng has become nonexistant in China. I know. I look for it there.
Remember the SARS outbreak? That started in China, too. That was due to eating an animal called a Civit cat. How lucky we were to get that quelched..for now.
With bird flu now tearing through Indonesia ,Vietnam, Laos, and northern Thailand, how is it possible that China cannot muster even a small outbreak, on it's own borders?
Admittidly, the U.S. govt has done more for the prevention and awareness of bf than any other country. More than any other country...
From an Oct. press release we get this headline..
U.S. International Avian and Pandemic Influenza Assistance Approaches $950 Million http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/oct/111241.htm
That's all fine and dandy, However, the U.S. continues to play footsie with the honest reporting of, and travel risks associated with avian influenza. The current high risk factor of travelling to these heavily infected bird flu hotspots, are not adequately explained or disclosed to the American people or the general public at large.
The last warden message from our Indonesian embassy was on February 29, 2008 http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/consular/WMfeb2908.htm
The CDC Travel alert page does not mention these recent outbreaks, but did post an outbreak notice on Oct 3, 2008
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentAvianFluAsia.aspx
The U.S. Avian flu Factsheet has not been updated since Sept. 2008 http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/health/health_1181.html
The W.H.O. Avian flu page for Indonesia has not been updated since Sept 2008 http://www.who.int/csr/don/2008_09_10/en/index.html
In fact the WHO steers away from timely reporting on Avian influenza, and continues to let the Health Ministry of Indonesia dictate to them, what the status of BF is in that country, and when they will send in reports of human cases, suspected outbreaks or deaths.
Now, as Indonesia has stated, it will report on BF only in increments of up to 6 months, the current dangerous situation there continues to be kept in the shadow of censorship.
The WHO leads one to believe that all is well in Indonesia, yet nothing could be further from the truth. Even the Indonesian Drs are beginning to question the official results, as they are dealing with the patients directly. They are seeing the patients with high fevers, constant coughing, early symptoms of pneumonia surrounded by 100's of dead AI infected birds.
Now, as Indonesia endures its largest suspected cluster of human infections, we get this just realeased message... No U.S. Travel Warning Exists for Indonesia http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/press_rel/November%2008/TravelWarning.html
This is a warden message in relation to terrorism. I find it ironic that..
Great Britain http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country/asia-oceania/indonesia1
Canada http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=130000
Australia http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Indonesia
continue to carry very recent travel warning messages involving terrorism, none of these mention bf, but the U.S. says all is good? So there are no terrorism alerts for Indonesia and certanly no bird flu messages.
I see in recent reports,that the WHO and other gov't agencies are there to survey the current situation.With their current track record of inadequate or disreputable reporting on the BF in Indonesia, I can't help but wonder, just when is the Director General going to enlighten us on this information. When is the WHO going to bother to tell you things aren't going so well in Indonesia?
Why do You have to read difficult translations from distant lands, trying to discover just how close the world may be to the next great pandemic? When is the WHO going to come clean on the spread of bird flu in Asia and the Middle East? Don't lie to yourself. You and I both know the situation can get out of hand rather quickly. Has it already?... "well we don't know, do we.."
The coddling of AI infected countries continues to put the rest of the entire world at risk. As of now, Nov 23,2008, there are no travel or warden messages from any country involving bf. The World Health Organization continues to keep you in the dark.
I don't like it at all.
This is my own personal opinion and any and all comments are welcome, especially, from the WHO. Perhaps they a few minutes to tell us why they continue to disregard the timely reporting of BF
"WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system.."
"last time I checked, that included me and my family...and you and yours."
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