Australia to help RI with flu, dengue

JAKARTA: The Australian government has pledged A$325,000 in assistance for Indonesia to help prevent the spread of avian influenza, or bird flu, and $40,000 to help fight dengue fever.

The bird flu fund will be channeled through the World Health Organization (WHO) mission in Indonesia and the dengue fever fund will be provided through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

"This funding will go towards helping the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture in their efforts to prevent and control the transmission of these diseases in Indonesia," Charge d'Affairs Peter Rowe at the Australian Embassy, Jakarta, said in a statement.

Australia is providing $19 million this year in humanitarian and emergency assistance to Indonesia. It is to provide total assistance of $151.7 million to Indonesia in 2004, an increase of $30 million from the previous year. -- JP