# 1701
Whether this signals the start of an ongoing thaw in the ice cold relations between the Indonesian Health Ministry and the WHO (World Health Organization), or is simply a one-time public relations gesture, remains to be seen.
The war of words between Indonesia's Health Minister and the WHO reached a pinnacle this week with the publication of her book, claiming the WHO and the US were engaged in a conspiracy to weaponize bird flu.
The rhetoric from Minister Supari has softened in past 24 hours, with her claiming the `English translation' of her book was badly edited, giving a false impression of her views.
In any event, Indonesia has reportedly sent 12 samples to a WHO laboratory this week, the first since a small group of samples was sent last August.
Assuming these samples are viable, and come from relevant sources, then this is a positive step.
Feb 22, 2008
Indonesia resumes bird flu samples to WHO
JAKARTA - INDONESIA sent 12 bird flu samples to a World Health Organisation laboratory this week for the first time since Aug 2007, and will try to continue doing so, a health ministry official said on Friday.
Indonesia, which is the nation hardest hit by bird flu, had halted sharing samples in Dec 2006, saying it feared multinational drug companies could use them to develop vaccines that were not affordable for poor countries.
In August last year it then sent two samples to the WHO to prove the virus had not mutated after the organisation accused Jakarta of putting the world at risk by failing to share its samples.
Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, who is head of the health ministry's research and development laboratory, said the 12 samples were sent this week to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, which is affiliated with the WHO.
'We will try to make it a routine,' she told AFP in a text message, without elaborating on what had triggered the sudden resumption.
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