US embassy cable - 05HANOI2519

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002519 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BANGKOK FOR USAID/RDM-A 
 
STATE FOR G; CA/OCS/ACS/EAP; EAP/EX; EAP/BCLTV; EAP/EP; INR; 
OES/STC (MGOLDBERG); OES/IHA (DSINGER AND NCOMELLA) 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID/RDM/A (MFRIEDMAN) 
USDA FOR FAS/PASS TO APHIS 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN) 
USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCAROLL, SCLEMENTS AND PCHAPLIN) 
STATE PASS USTR (ELENA BRYAN) 
STATE ALSO PASS HHS/OGHA (EELVANDER) 
ROME FOR FAO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED, AMGT, CASC, EAGR, PINR, SOCI, PGOV, TBIO, VM, AFLU 
SUBJECT: VIETNAM: AVIAN INFLUENZA WEEKLY REPORT FOR 
SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 
 
REF: Hanoi 2471 and previous 
 
1. (U) Summary.  There have been no new human cases of Avian 
Influenza (AI) since Mission Vietnam's last reporting on 
September 22.  In a meeting with Embassy officers, Ministry 
of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) officials noted 
that post poultry vaccination monitoring was essential to 
combat AI and requested assistance to acquire 20,000 
injector guns, stated a need for foreign assistance to help 
pay poultry vaccination workers, and provided a list of 
materials needed for testing and training.  MARD also 
discussed the work plan for a USDA poultry specialist who 
will work in Vietnam as part of the Mission Science Fellow 
Program.  Embassy Hanoi began flu inoculations for staff and 
eligible family members.  End Summary. 
 
Poultry Vaccination Program 
--------------------------- 
 
2. (U) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) 
Department of Animal Health (DAH) officials told FAS, Health 
Attache and USAID Country Representative that post- 
vaccination monitoring and surveillance is a priority to 
determine whether the vaccination is effective; to measure 
circulating virus in vaccinated birds; and, to detect 
changes in the virus.  DAH staff also admitted that the 
quality of the vaccination program varied from province to 
province, because vaccination worker payment is a local 
responsibility and pay scales vary depending on the 
commitment and resources of each local government.  Foreign 
assistance to make payments to workers more uniform would 
help the vaccination program, they added. 
 
3. (U) DAH officials noted issues with supplies for the 
vaccination program.  Vaccine from China continues to be 
slow to arrive.  There are many problems with most injector 
guns in use, which come from China.  DAH prefers German 
injectors (with unbreakable plexiglass reservoirs), which 
were provided by the Danish development agency, but the 
price difference with Chinese models is substantial (USD 50 
vs USD 10).  DAH officials requested USG assistance in 
obtaining better injectors and estimated that they need to 
purchase 20,000 injectors at a cost of USD 1 million. 
Injectors can last a number of years.  MARD officials also 
provided a list of materials they need for laboratory tests 
and outlined MARD's personnel and training needs. 
 
4. (U) MARD hopes to vaccinate a high percentage of all 
poultry before December.  However, since the life cycle of 
most poultry being vaccinated (breeders and layers) is only 
several years, the vaccination program will need to continue 
into 2006 as new birds enter the national flock.  The 
program is scheduled to last through 2006. 
 
5. (U) During the pre-vaccination evaluation of poultry in 
target provinces, the GVN discovered that there are 20-30 
percent more birds in Vietnam than previously estimated. 
 
Other AI Related Issues 
----------------------- 
 
6. (U) DAH officials also discussed the proposed workplan of 
a USDA poultry specialist who will work in Vietnam as part 
of the Mission Science Fellow Program.  The USDA specialist 
has experience in poultry operations, biosecurity, poultry 
diseases and disease control, vaccination application and 
quality control of vaccination programs.  DAH will likely be 
able to use her skills in the post-vaccination surveillance 
program. 
 
7. (U) Embassy Hanoi's Medical Unit administered the flu 
vaccine to 200 employees (American and Vietnamese) and 
eligible family members (American), approximately half of 
all those eligible.  The Medical Unit hopes to provide 
inoculations to the remainder by the end of this week. 
 
8. (U) The Embassy will convene an Avian Influenza Working 
Group meeting on September 29 to review preparations and 
planning. 
 
MARINE