US embassy cable - 05HANOI2923

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002923 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR USAID 
STATE FOR G; CA/OCS/ACS/EAP; EAP/EX; EAP/BCLTV; EAP/EP; INR; 
OES/STC (PBATES); 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 NOVEMBER 
3, 2005 
 
REF: A) Hanoi 2858 and previous 
 
1. (U) Summary.  There have been no new cases of human Avian 
Influenza (AI) reported since Mission Vietnam's last weekly 
update on October 27 (reftel).  Two suspected cases of AI 
are currently under investigation by the World Health 
Organization (WHO).  The United Nations Development Program 
(UNDP) held a Donor's Meeting on November 1 and Mission 
Vietnam's contingency planning for AI continues. 
 
TWO NEW AI CASES, MAYBE.? 
------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU)  There have been no new human AI cases since August 
29.  However, according to WHO Resident Representative Dr. 
Hans Troedsson, two recent deaths are being investigated by 
WHO to determine if AI was the real cause of death. 
According to press reports, a 14-year-old girl died on 
October 23 and a 26-year old man died on October 26.  Both 
victims were not related and lived in Quang Binh Province. 
Troedsson noted that the cases are "suspicious on clinical 
grounds" but that it was too early to tell if the cause of 
death was indeed AI. 
 
GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM EFFORTS 
----------------------------- 
 
3. (U) The poultry vaccination program continues to progress 
in Vietnam and additional vaccines being imported from 
China.  Press reports indicate that Minister of Agriculture 
and Rural Development (MARD) Cao Duc Phat will ban the 
importation of assorted poultry and ornamental birds from 
November 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006.  Prime Minister Phan Van 
Khai also directed MARD and the Ministry of Health to 
closely cooperate with WHO and other countries in order to 
produce anti-influenza vaccines for poultry and humans in 
Vietnam. 
 
4. (U) As a sign that equal attention to AI is now coming 
from the political side as well as technical, the Party 
Central Committee called in senior MARD officials last week 
and later issued a directive instructing lower level 
administrative units to implement AI prevention measures. 
The Central Committee also tasked the Fatherland Front and 
other political organizations with improving public 
awareness. 
 
UNITED STATES AI COORDINATION 
----------------------------- 
 
5. (U) The Academy for Educational Development (AED) team 
funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development 
(USAID) has completed their Vietnam country visit and will 
be drawing up a regional/country specific work plan for 
USAID's review and concurrence.  While in Vietnam, AED met 
with numerous agencies in the government, other donors and 
NGO's working on the sector as well as the Embassy's Public 
Affairs office.  USAID also continues to garner interest 
from the private sector to develop public-private 
partnerships to combat AI. 
 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY EFFORTS & UN DONOR'S MEETING 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
6. (U) AUSAID's Global Development Alliance consultant met 
with U.S. businesses in Ho Hi Minh City last week to discuss 
public-private partnerships to combat AI, including a 
possible network of agricultural sales representatives to 
disseminate information on AI to rural farmers. 
 
7. (U) Press reports also noted that the Netherlands has 
agreed to contribute 1 million Euros (USD 1.2 million) to 
support the United Nations-coordinated emergency program 
against AI in Vietnam. 
 
8. (U) The Deputy Chief of Mission, USAID Country 
Representative and EconOff attended a November 1 UNDP 
Donor's Meeting.  An FAO/World Bank Mission Team gave a 
debriefing and presentation on the progress of the AI 
Emergency Project; an update on the joint Government of 
Vietnam (GOV) - FAO/WHO/UNDP Program on AI, Phase I - 
Emergency Support; and Proposal for Donor Coordination on 
AI.  According to the team, there has been good progress in 
implementing Vietnam's poultry vaccination program but there 
have been some delays.  The Team also recommended that 
donors should improve the coordinating mechanism to fully 
account for the funds being provided for AI. 
 
9. (U) The Team stated that there were five priorities for 
international support, including: 1) Vaccinations; 2) Early 
Warning; 3) Capacity Building; 4) Long-Term Planning; 5) 
Awareness Raising and Public Information.  UNDP Country 
Representative Jordan Ryan stated that while the 
UNDP/WHO/FAO AI plan is fully funded for short-term AI 
projects, at least USD 121.2 million was needed for long 
term AI planning and response. 
 
EMBASSY AI PREPARDNESS 
---------------------- 
 
10. (SBU) Post's Consular Section Staff attended an October 
28 AI preparedness meeting hosted by Dr. Stephanie Lescar of 
SOS Clinic.  SOS is a clinic that primarily serves the 
expatriate community in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.  SOS 
gave general guidance on AI preparedness and when asked how 
much Tamiflu they had on stock, SOS was vague.  Dr. Lescar, 
however, stated that it was no longer possible to get 
Tamiflu in Vietnam. 
 
11. (U) Mission Vietnam continues to work on its AI 
contingency plans and held a Digital Video Conference with 
the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City on November 3. 
Mission Vietnam's AI Working Group discussed tripwires, the 
use of Tamiflu, shelter in place and evacuation procedures. 
 
MARINE