US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT1488

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001488 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, KSCA, EAGR, ECON, PREL, SOCI, MU, ESTH 
SUBJECT: OMAN PASSES ON AVIAN FLU PARTNERSHIP 
 
REF: A. MUSCAT 1464 B. STATE 182324 C. STATE 180478 
 
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Summary 
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1. (SBU) Summary.  A Ministry of Health official said that 
Oman will not participate in the International Partnership on 
Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI), or in the October 6-7 
senior officials meeting.  However, he outlined the steps 
that Oman has already undertaken steps to prepare for a 
potential outbreak of avian influenza, and expressed interest 
in collaborating on a regional basis.  End Summary. 
 
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Oman's Strategy 
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2. (SBU) On October 3, Econoff met with Dr. Salah al-Awaidy, 
Director of the Department of Surveillance and Disease 
Control, Ministry of Health, to discuss Oman's interest in 
joining IPAPI and participating in the senior officials 
meeting scheduled for October 6-7 in Washington, DC (ref B). 
Al-Awaidy said Oman would pass on both accounts.  Al-Awaidy 
noted that Oman was well underway in preparing itself for a 
potential outbreak of avian influenza, specifically in the 
areas of: 
 
(a) Surveillance.  Al-Awaidy cited Oman's collaboration with 
the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease 
Control through the establishment of four sentinel 
surveillance sites.  These sites obtain throat swabs that are 
then sent to the NAMRU-3 laboratory in Cairo for analysis. 
In addition, the National Zoonotic Committee, comprised of 
members from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Fisheries, has developed indicators to detect 
the presence of avian influenza.  Furthermore, poultry bred 
in Oman are bled twice a year to ascertain whether the virus 
is in circulation. 
 
(b) Public awareness.  Al-Awaidy noted that the Ministry of 
Health already has launched an avian influenza public 
awareness campaign.  The Ministry, in association with the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, sponsors lectures and 
workshops for health care and poultry workers to detect and 
quarantine cases of avian influenza.  The Ministry of Health 
also featured a "frequently asked questions" article on avian 
influenza in its January 2005 newsletter, and plans to 
distribute an avian influenza pamphlet, in Arabic, by 
mid-October. 
 
(c) Preparedness planning.  Al-Awaidy stated that officials 
from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture 
are working closely to finalize a specific preparedness plan 
for avian influenza.  Based on a generic preparedness 
blueprint for epidemics, this plan will outline Oman's 
efforts in stockpiling necessary medications, acquiring 
diagnostic capabilities, and exploring developments in 
vaccinations. 
 
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Open to Regional Cooperation 
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3. (SBU) While not committed to joining the Partnership, 
al-Awaidy welcomed the opportunity to collaborate on a 
regional level, particularly among GCC countries, to share 
information on recent developments in diagnostic 
capabilities, preparedness planning, and progress in 
identifying possible vaccinations. 
BALTIMORE