Maybe many of us never heard about this institution until year ago, when our minister of health, Siti Fadilah Supari, said about it in front of the press. Well…I know about this institution since two years ago. I was looking for an internship to fulfill my credit at Atma Jaya University, and I thought that US NAMRU is a suitable place for a biotechnology student like me. Last January (2008) I started my internship at US-NAMRU-2. There weren’t any difficulties to ask permission to be an intern there, at least for those times, because our minister of health hasn’t aware of its existence. Since that time I, and 15 friends who were an intern at US-NAMRU-2 was get introduced to US NAMRU’s history, activity’s and of course the staff.
Just a glimpse about US-NAMRU-2. This institution is a biomedical research center which is a part of US NAVY, in this case is Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) in Maryland,US. This research center was firstly built in Guam at the world war II, but at 1955, US-NAMRU-2 was moved to Taiwan and at 1970, it was move here, at Jakarta (Indonesia). Why US-NAMRU-2 was moved to Jakarta? It’s because there was a pandemic at Boyolali, and our health minister at that moment, Prof. Dr. G.A. Siwabessy asked help from United states’ embassy. After these pandemics were successfully handled, US NAMRU-2 was officially moved to Indonesia at 16 January 1970. This research center has 4 research program such as Bacterial Diseases Program (BDP), Viral Diseases Program (VDP), Parasitology Diseases Program (PDP), and Emerging Diseases Program (EDP). US-NAMRU-2 was located at Jl. Percetakan Negara no.23 and 29, in the Department of Health area/complex. BDP,EDP, and entomology department (PDP) is working at building no 23, while the other PDP department and EDP is working at building 29. Actually Building 23 is a ware house and the building 29 is the main building, but US-NAMRU Commander Officer, Capt. Jones is working at building 23. (So, if you remember that our minister of health said that she felt humiliated because she was brought to a warehouse, well that’s NAMRU office actually..^^).This research center has many sophisticated machine that supported the research. The US-NAMRU-2′s staff mostly is an Indonesian. The proportion between Indonesian workers with US’s is about 5:1.
Suddenly after 60 years in Indonesia, Our recent Minister of Health accused US-NAMRU-2 as a espionage from US government, and she said that avian flu pandemics in Indonesia was US’s responsibility, that US NAMRU took sample from Indonesian so they can make a vaccine and sell it to Indonesian people. Maybe it’s possible, but actually we’ve known that influenza viruses always mutate in a very short time, that’s why it’s hard to make a vaccines or drugs. For that accusation, US-NAMRU-2 can’t take any samples from Indonesia, and their position is still not clear until next president was elected.
From my view…Each side, both Indonesia and US has their own agenda. Indonesia needs help from US so they permit US NAMRU-2 to be built here, and US-NAMRU-2 needs sample to conduct their research. From the beginning US-NAMRU-2 has helped Indonesia, not only for 1968’s pandemics, but also for Tsunami in Aceh, and other emerging diseases in Indonesia, including avian flu. Besides that many researchers from Indonesia can use their talent there, and so many students from some universities (UI, Atma Jaya, UGM, etc) can get many information and help from US NAMRU-2. I’m one of the students that get so many benefits from there. I can finish my bachelor degree with US-NAMRU-2 help. From what I see there, I really respect the staff, the US-NAMRU-2 staffs are kind and they are so helpful. Even the CO, he can greet us and discuss about our research, he doesn’t underestimate us, even we’re only a student. They also give us chance to learn as much as we can.
I agree that we need to protect our natural capital and we have a right to know the result of some research that take a sample from Indonesia. I think our Minister of health have some point about that. But I don’t like the way she talked about it. Just like she’s not well educated (Sorry Bu Siti, it’s just my opinion). It embarrassed our own country, having such a minister of health (that only can talk without thinking and so action less- specifically, I’m referring to her speech about avian flu and swine flu)
I think it’s ok if the government wants to kick US-NAMRU-2 from here, but they need to think about the consequences. Many workers will lose their occupation and students like me will lose an opportunity to learn many things. From my sight we still need to learn from them. We need to learn their ethos. They really know what they are doing. And they willing to work at weekend even in the bottom of their heart they don’t want ^^… Some native officers will come at weekend to check temperature and office condition, and some researchers still come to do their work. Few people from government institutions, who came to ask help or to learn some technique at US-NAMRU-2, don’t want to come at week end. For example they learn malaria culture and it needs to be refreshed at weekend, so they just let the culture died or asked US-NAMRU-2 researchers to take care for them. In the other side, a lecturer from other university who does his PhD project at US-NAMRU-2 didn’t know how to use PCR machines, vortex, and centrifuge. Actually he know anything about vortex at that time. He asked us, or another worker at US-NAMRU-2 to do it for them..Wew..It made me and my friends shock at that time..Luckily my lecturers at Atma Jaya really know not only the theory but also how to do the lab.
Maybe for some people, US-NAMRU-2 is a threat that will interfere our country, but for some researchers I think US-NAMRU-2 is like a treat, a place that they can develop their curiosity, learn many things; work with many people from other countries; because science is not a priority in Indonesia. For my own self, I think US-NAMRU-2 is not a threat as long both side give some boundaries and obey it..^^…Well, I learn many things there, and it will be unforgettable memories for me..X)
