US embassy cable - 05HANOI1729

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001729 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR FOR CA/OCS/ACS/EAP; EAP/EX; EAP/BCLTV; 
STATE FOR OES/STC (M.GOLDBERG); OES/IHA (D.SINGER AND 
N.COMELLA) 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A (MFRIEDMAN) 
STATE PASS HHS 
USDA FOR FAS/PASS TO APHIS 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP FOR LEW STERN 
USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCAROLL, SCLEMENTS AND PCHAPLIN) 
DEPT PASS TO AID 
AMEMBASSY ROME PASS TO USMISSION FAO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED, AMGT, CASC, EAGR, TBIO, VM, AFLU 
SUBJECT: VIETNAM  - AVIAN INFLUENZA SITUATION REPORT 
 
REF: Hanoi 1218 and previous 
 
1.  (U) Summary.  Vietnam has seen some new human cases of 
Avian Influenza appear into the summer months, but there is 
no evidence that the Avian Influenza (AI) strain, H5N1, has 
mutated to allow human-to-human transmission.  Vietnam is 
preparing for animal vaccination trials and developing a 
multi-sector Pandemic Preparedness Plan (PPP) with 
assistance from the international community.  We again urge 
concerned agencies to consider support for elements in the 
Joint Program prepared by the Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and 
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).  End Summary. 
 
Case Statistics 
--------------- 
 
2. (U) The total number of confirmed human cases reported by 
WHO in Vietnam since December 2003 is 87, with 38 deaths. 
There have been 60 cases, with 18 deaths, since December 
2004. 
 
3. (U) Vietnam's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported four new 
cases to the WHO in June.  Two cases are from Hanoi, one in 
nearby Hai Duong province, and the fourth, in the central 
province of Nghe An.  This year Vietnam continues to see 
cases into the summer and more human cases despite fewer 
poultry cases. (Note:  The last case in the 2003-2004 season 
was at the end of February 2004.  End Note.) 
 
4. (U) During the last week of June, AI experts from the 
United States, UK, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan 
participated on a World Health Organization (WHO) 
consultation team to assess possible changes in the 
epidemiology of human AI cases in Vietnam. On June 28, the 
WHO Country Director reported that from December 2004 to May 
2005, there was no change in the genetic composition of the 
AI virus infecting humans.  Human-to-human transmission was 
not observed, and many suspected asymptomatic cases were not 
the H5N1 strain. 
 
5. (U) The Government of Vietnam (GVN) confirmed that 6,000 
chickens were killed by H5N1 infection in An Khanh commune 
in southern Ben Tre province earlier in June.  This was the 
first outbreak of H5N1 reported in Vietnam since April 2, 
2005.  It is not clear if this is an isolated outbreak. 
 
Animal Vaccinations 
------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) At a WHO and FAO briefing of the Hanoi diplomatic 
community on June 28, the FAO representative reported that 
the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) 
will conduct poultry vaccination trials in one northern and 
one southern province later in the summer. MARD reports that 
vaccinations will begin this fall in targeted high-risk 
provinces.  FAO opined that poor communication from central 
to provincial authorities may slow implementation of the 
trials.  For example, local officials are generally unaware 
of the central government's plans. 
 
Pandemic Preparedness Plan for Vietnam 
-------------------------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) Vietnam has not yet prepared an AI Pandemic 
Preparedness Plan (PPP). In April the WHO offered to provide 
technical and financial support for the development of such 
a plan. The GVN estimated that Vietnam has lost half a 
billion dollars in 2004 gross domestic product (about half a 
percent) due to avian influenza. The economic impact of AI 
may have been a factor in causing the GVN to take more 
decisive action according to the WHO and FAO 
representatives.  The Office of the Government (the Prime 
Minister) has now stepped in.  Deputy Prime Minister Pham 
Gia Khiem has accepted the WHO offer to help develop a PPP. 
A joint WHO, FAO and United Nations Development Program 
(UNDP) team is scheduled to arrive the week of July 4 to 
assist.  This multi-sector (public health, public security, 
financial, etc.) approach to prepare for a pandemic will be 
headed by Vice Minister of Health, Tran Chi Liem.  The PPP, 
expected in the next one to two months, will be approved by 
the Prime Minister's office. 
 
Technical Support Unit 
---------------------- 
 
8. (U) The idea of a Technical Support Unit (TSU) was 
developed earlier this year in response to the GVN's request 
to coordinate donor activity as it relates to Avian 
Influenza response by WHO and FAO. This proposal has been 
updated and revised several times and is now a Joint Program 
sponsored by UNDP/FAO/WHO.  The updated version contains the 
GVN's (mainly MOH and MARD) plans to upgrade diagnostic 
laboratories and staff competency levels, re-structure the 
poultry industry, and educate veterinarians and farmers. 
 
Follow on to the Prime Minister's Visit 
--------------------------------------- 
 
9.  (SBU) We understand that MOH Vice Minister Liem met with 
HHS Deputy Secretary designee Alex Azar on June 21, in 
Washington, in conjunction with the visit of Prime Minister 
Phan Van Khai.  They discussed potential areas of 
cooperation, including Avian Influenza.  Liem proposed six 
areas:  research on antibodies and mode of transmission; 
development of standardized laboratories; establishment of 
scenarios to deal with an outbreak of AI; further 
cooperation to analyze and treat human cases; proposal of a 
U.S. team to assist Vietnam to prepare and deal with AI; and 
training for Vietnamese personnel. 
 
Next Moves 
---------- 
 
10) (U) Mission has been informed that in mid July, a team 
from USAID, HHS and USDA will travel to Vietnam, Cambodia, 
Laos and Thailand to discuss with host governments and the 
donor community the range of activities the USG is willing 
to support with the USD $25 million Congress set aside for 
the response to AI in Southeast Asia.  Other goals of the 
team are to agree upon gaps, relative priorities and levels 
of effort; identify partners, mechanisms, timelines and next 
steps for immediately implementing assistance; establish and 
support dialog among partners and between human health and 
animal sectors.  From our perspective, the work already in 
progress sponsored by WHO, FAO and UNDP, and the World Bank 
and others, already provides a good starting point for the 
team.  In particular, we urge careful granting of the Joint 
FAO/WHO/UNDP long-term strategy for control of AI in 
Vietnam. 
MARINE