Bird-Flu Handling Exercises in Bali

No, I’m not talking about chickens running the marathon along Ngurah Rai Bypass or down Jalan Legian but rather bird flu handling exercises to be held in Bali on April 25-27th. These exercises will be conducted in three places. They are at Ngurah Rai Airport and at Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar as well as the general hospital in Tabanan. What’s it all about you ask. Simple, the Indonesian government wants to show the world that it is getting a handle on the bird-flu situation in the country. So, they invited 42 representatives of international health agencies and foreign governments to show just how serious they are. Of course there will be observers from professional organizations as well as various central government agencies and those of referral hospitals and public health offices. There you go, the government is getting serious and it’s good to see some action being instigated. Let’s hope you are not landing in Bali tomorrow or on Saturday, going on a road trip through Tabanan or going to the emergency department at Sanglah hospital with a stubbed toe!.