US embassy cable - 05HANOI162

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000162 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE PASS USAID FOR ANE/KUNDER AND ANE-SPO BRADY 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID FOR ANE/KENNEDY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, OSCI, VM, AFLU, HIV/AIDS 
SUBJECT:  VIETNAM:  AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON MINISTER OF HEALTH, 
MADAME TRAN THI TRUNG CHIEN 
 
1.   Summary:  In a January 14 meeting with the Ambassador, 
Minister of Health Tran Thi Trung Chien thanked the United 
States for additional Emergency Plan funding for HIV/AIDS 
interventions in Vietnam.   She responded to the Ambassador's 
push for more efficient and effective HIV/AIDS cooperation 
both across ministries and between the U.S. agencies and the 
GVN by pointing to the inter-ministerial Coordinating 
Committee that was formed under the oversight of the Ministry 
of Health (MOH) to guide the implementation of the 
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan). 
Minister Chien also requested an official letter from the 
U.S. Government specifying the mechanism of disbursement and 
priorities for Emergency Plan funds to facilitate 
communication and action in this area.   She emphasized that 
MOH was the focal point of all HIV/AIDS activities in 
Vietnam.  In the context of renewed concern about Avian 
Influenza, Chien appealed for USG support for equipment and 
training.  She assigned members of her staff who were present 
as point of contact for key follow-up actions discussed in 
the meeting, including resolving the delays on a dioxin-birth 
defect study.  End Summary. 
 
HIV/AIDS 
-------- 
2.   The Ambassador affirmed USG commitment to assist 
Vietnam's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.  In addition to the key 
areas of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment of the 
Emergency Plan, he highlighted the critical importance of 
eliminating stigma and discrimination, particularly in the 
areas of employment and schooling.  Two pressing issues 
raised by the Ambassador were program coordination and the 
supply of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for treatment. 
 
3.   When asked about the GVN's HIV/AIDS efforts across other 
agencies and ministries and about an opportunity for the 
Ambassador to meet with and brief the National Standing 
Committee for HIV/AIDS, Prostitution and Drug Prevention 
(Note: This National Standing Committee is Chaired by Deputy 
Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem and is responsible for 
coordinating HIV/AIDS policy across agencies and ministries. 
End Note.), Minister Chien stated repeatedly that MOH was the 
focal point of all GVN HIV/AIDS activities and that all 
contact on in this area should be communicated through MOH's 
International Cooperation Department.  This, she said, would 
save the USG the time of contacting multiple ministries and 
members and would allow MOH to be fully informed of all 
activities and requests.  While Minister Chien was 
unresponsive to the Ambassador's urging for a meeting with 
the National Standing Committee, she agreed to share a list 
of the members of the National Coordinating Committee for the 
Emergency Plan and to consider the possibility of the 
Ambassador meeting personally with its members. (Note: The 
National Coordinating Committee was formed by an MOH Decision 
in November 2004. It is chaired by Madame Chien and its 
express purpose is to guide the implementation of the 
Emergency Plan. End Note.) 
 
4.   According to Minister Chien, the primary difficulty for 
MOH in efficiently facilitating Emergency Plan activities and 
coordination was that the GVN had not received official 
notification from the USG on the specific amount of the 
award, its mechanism for disbursement and the priorities for 
use of the funds.  Citing the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB 
and Malaria (GFATM), Minister Chien stated that MOH had 
received clear GFATM objectives and guidelines for specific 
activities with the amount of funding for each year and a 
timeline for each activity so that MOH could prepare and 
respond appropriately.  She requested an official letter with 
such specifics on the Emergency Plan to be sent to MOH so 
that it could be reviewed by the GVN.  The Ambassador 
acknowledged the need for greater clarity for Emergency Plan 
activities and funding, noting Vietnam's late selection as 
the fifteenth focus country.  He shared the news that 
Ambassador Tobias has just approved the USG's five-year 
HIV/AIDS strategy for Vietnam and the proposed plan of 
activities for the coming year.  This news would be 
communicated quickly through official channels to the GVN, he 
promised. 
 
5.   The Ambassador noted that under USG policy, ARV drugs 
paid for by the USG must be approved by the U.S. Food and 
Drug Administration (FDA).  He expressed hope for MOH 
assistance in bringing approved ARVs into Vietnam to 
facilitate treatment.  The Ambassador also noted that the 
ideal situation was for locally produced drugs to get FDA 
approval, but added that neither of the two companies in 
Vietnam producing ARVs had applied for FDA approval.  He 
offered the assistance of the Embassy's Health Attach to 
assist these companies through the application process. 
Minister Chien noted that she had visited a German supported 
company in Ho Chi Minh City with an ARV drug formula meeting 
WHO guidelines and significantly cheaper than market price. 
She assigned the Director of MOH's Therapy Department to work 
with the USG on the issue of ARV supply. 
 
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) 
-------------------------- 
6.   Asked about other MOH priorities beyond HIV/AIDS, 
Minister Chien described the urgent need to improve Vietnam's 
laboratory infrastructure and human capacity to test for and 
prevent an Avian Influenza pandemic.  She requested support 
for emergency medical equipment for the country's three 
regional laboratories and training of experts in laboratory 
skills.  Minister Chien agreed to prepare a written proposal 
that MOH would submit to the Embassy for consideration. 
 
Disability and Rehabilitation 
----------------------------- 
7.   The Ambassador and Minister Chien shared their concerns 
over the issue of disabilities.  The Ambassador reaffirmed 
the long history and successes the United States and Vietnam 
have shared working together on this issue.  He noted the 
USG's continued commitment to support Vietnam in this area, 
and informed the Minister that the Embassy intends to review 
past and current efforts in order to provide the best 
possible assistance. 
 
Agent Orange 
------------ 
8.   One final concern raised by the Ambassador was 
cooperation on measuring the effects of Agent Orange.  The 
two main areas in question are environmental effects and 
birth defects.  The Ambassador noted his concern that 
questions over funding mechanism had delayed a proposed birth 
defect study and warned that further delays may mean loss of 
funding.  He urged Minister Chien to help resolve the problem 
before the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday in February so that 
the United States and Vietnam can work together on this 
sensitive but important issue.  Chien agreed to do so, and 
designated Dr. Truong Viet Dzung, Director of the Department 
on Science and Training, to take the lead on the issue. 
 
9.   Comment:  Minister Chien described key priorities of MOH 
that are clearly areas of mutual interest for the USG.  She 
pointed to the good cooperation MOH has with the Embassy 
Health Attache, but did not answer the Ambassador's request 
for establishing direct working relationships between the USG 
HIV/AIDS team and other relevant ministries outside of MOH. 
While Chien ended the meeting on a positive note, agreeing to 
share a list of the members of the interagency Coordinating 
Committee for the Emergency Plan and implying that a meeting 
of the Ambassador and that Committee was possible, she was 
insistent on keeping communications formal and channeling all 
USG requests through MOH's International Cooperation 
Department.  It was not clear if Chien's focus on the 
Coordinating Committee under MOH instead of the National 
Standing Committee under DPM Khiem was due to a 
miscommunication or if she was reluctant to facilitate direct 
USG contact with the National Standing Committee. End 
Comment. 
 
MARINE