US embassy cable - 05SANTODOMINGO5187

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005187 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR OES/IHA-D.SINGER AND R.DALEY AND WHA/CAR-D.SEARBY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO, SENV, DR, ECON, EAGR, EAID, PREL, Demarches 
SUBJECT: AVIAN AND PANDEMIC INFLUENZA: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
INFORMATION 
 
REF: STATE 209622 
 
1. Embassy's answers to country-specific questions about 
avian and pandemic influenza (AI) follow and are keyed to the 
subheads and ticks in para 4 reftel: 
 
A. Preparedness/communication: 
 
-- The country does not yet have a plan orstrategy for 
preventing avian influenza from becoming a pandemic or for 
containing a pandemic once it occurs.  At a press conference 
on October 25 the Dominican government declared its 
commitment to address AI issues, and itis reactivating a 
working group for emerging and re-emerging diseases which met 
November 2.  This group will be led by Secretary of State for 
Public Health Dr. Bautista Rojas Gomez and chaired by him or 
by Under Secretary for Collective Health Dr. Rafael 
Schiffino. It will include all important stakeholders, 
including government entities, donors, NGOs, and the private 
sector.  Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and USAID 
are the lead donor agencies for now.  The Secretariat of 
Health's epidemiology department will take the lead to 
prepare a draft plan, with technical assistance from PAHO, 
which will then be shared widely.  The government has 
announced that it will base its country response on 
international guidelines. 
 
-- The Dominican Government has stated that it will provide 
accurate information within its capabilities.  Authorities 
distributed an information packet at the October 25 press 
conference.  The Dominican Republic's free and aggressive 
press is likely to seek updated information. 
 
-- Senior public health policymakers are aware of the AI 
situation and state that they are committed to working with 
Dominican society and donors on this issue.  The "go to" 
persons for U.S. Government officials to engage include: 
 
Secretary of State for Public Health Dr. Bautista Rojas 
 
SIPDIS 
Gomez, 
Under Secretary for Collective Health Dr. Rafael Schiffino, 
and 
Dr. Elizabeth Gomez, director of the National Epidemiology 
Directorate and chairperson of the AI technical working 
group. 
 
-- National laws have not been specfically reviewed with 
regard to consistency with international health regulations. 
Embassy considersthat the laws would probably not pose any 
barrier to AI detection, reporting, containment, or response. 
 
-- USAID and PAHO have already offered technical assistance 
to the authorities.  The United States can approach the 
government bilaterally and in multilateral fora. 
 
-- The Dominican Republic does not have a capability to 
administer annual flu shots, unless it were to receive 
assistance or shift budget priorities.  The country does not 
produce flu vaccine. 
 
-- As previously noted, the government has held a press 
conference on AI, and news articles have appeared in several 
nationally distributed dailies.  To achieve broad coverage of 
the population, local television and radio stations would 
need to devote more attention to the issue. 
 
B. Surveillance/detection: 
 
-- With technical assistance, Dominican medical and 
agricultural sectors are capable of clinically detecting new 
flu strains and diagnosing cases.  Embassy doubts that 
influenza viruses could be subtyped in country; the 
authorities would normally send such viruses to the U.S. 
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for analysis. 
 
-- The greatest gap in the country's disease detection and 
outbreak response capability is financing for supplies, 
equipment, and public education campaigns.  As of now, there 
is no budget assigned specifically to AI-related activities, 
and no donor has offered monetary or in-kind assistance. 
 
C. Response/containment: 
 
-- So far no medications have been stockpiled, nor have any 
been ordered.  The issue of stockpiling will be considered in 
the national response plan to be developed by the working 
group.  The National Medicine Support Center (PROMESECAL) 
should play a key role on this matter. 
 
-- There is no pre-positioned personal protective gear.  This 
issue will be addressed in the national plan. 
 
-- The authorities are evaluating the rapid response capacity 
for human and animal outbreaks, but guidelines are not yet in 
place. 
 
-- Embassy believes that the government would be willing to 
impose quarantines or social distancing measures if necessary 
and would use the police or military, as appropriate. 
However, we cannot predict the effectiveness of such measures 
outside the major cities. 
KUBISKE