Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ABUDHABI4225
2005-10-05 13:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAEG PREPARES FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 08/28/2006 11:33:24 AM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLAS ABU DHABI 04225 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: ECON INFO: P/M AMB DCM POL DISSEMINATION: ECON CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CDA:MQUINN DRAFTED: ECON:BEDEMONTLUZIN CLEARED: ECON:OJOHN, MED:LWECHSEL VZCZCADI616 RR RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHRC DE RUEHAD #4225 2781304 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 051304Z OCT 05 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1897 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004225
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KSCA EAGR ECON PREL SOCI WHO FAO OIE
SENV, TC
SUBJECT: UAEG PREPARES FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA
REF: A. STATE 181885
B. STATE 183738
C. STATE 182324
D. STATE 180478
E. STATE 175585
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004225
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KSCA EAGR ECON PREL SOCI WHO FAO OIE
SENV, TC
SUBJECT: UAEG PREPARES FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA
REF: A. STATE 181885
B. STATE 183738
C. STATE 182324
D. STATE 180478
E. STATE 175585
1. (U) Summary: Recently, the UAEG established a task
force to devise a contingency plan to block avian influenza
from entering the country. As such, the Agriculture and
Fisheries Ministry has imposed a ban on the import of live
birds and their products from countries where cases of the
disease have been detected. The Ministry has also banned
poultry from flu-infected countries unless an approved lab
certifies it to be disease-free for fifteen days before
imported. Subsequent to the plan,s announcement, embassy
nurses met with the Director of Infectious Disease, Dr.
Farida Al Hosseini, to further discuss the UAEG,s avian flu
preparations. End Summary.
2. (U) The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi recently released a
35 million dirham (9.5 million USD) plan to combat bird flu.
Under the plan, if poultry or any birds test positive for
either high or low pathogenic avian influenza virus they will
be destroyed immediately, including all contaminated feed,
waste products and other potentially infectious material.
The plan also provides that any chicken coops, equipment,
containers, vehicles or other items that may have come in
contact with the infected bird, will be disinfected.
Furthermore, poultry workers, zoo staff, pet shop employees,
veterinarians and breeding centers will also be screened for
the disease. Sampling will also be conducted of suspected
airport passengers showing symptoms of the bird flu.
Environment Agency Secretary General, Majid Al-Mansouri, told
Econchief that he was working on the UAEG,s plans. He had
originally been tasked with the program for the Emirate of
Abu Dhabi, but the government expanded his agency,s
responsibilities. Al-Mansouri will be meeting with a
delegation on climate change so is unable to attend the
October 6-7 high level meeting in Washington.
3. (U) On October 1, the Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries held a seminar at the Abu Dhabi Food Control
Authority regarding preventative measures for avian
influenza. Saeed Mohammed Al Raqbani, Minister of
Agriculture and Fisheries, said that the bird flu was a
serious threat to human health. As such, the UAE has banned
the import of birds from countries which are known to have
the avian influenza.
4. (U) On October 4, embassy nurses met with the Director of
Infectious Disease for the Preventive Medicine Clinic in Abu
Dhabi, Dr. Farida Al Hosseini, to discuss avian flu
preparations in the UAE. Dr. Hosseini stated that the UAEG
originally requested 3,000,000 doses of Tamiflu, but
reportedly increased its request to 100,000,000 doses. The
supplier of the drug is expected to send less than the
3,000,000 doses originally requested in the next few weeks.
The UAEG does not know whether it will receive the remainder
of the Tamiflu requested.
5. (SBU) Dr. Al Hosseini told embassy nurses that the task
force committee has not yet established any guidelines
concerning who will receive the Tamiflu in the event of an
outbreak. Dispensing protocol will be decided once the
Tamiflu is received. One hospital in each UAE city will act
as an isolation center in the event of an outbreak. These
hospitals are being provided with protective equipment. Dr.
Hosseini also stated that the Preventative Health Clinic has
prepared educational pamphlets to hand out to the public if
there is an outbreak in the country. At this point, the UAEG
is not doing any outreach for fear of causing a panic.
Furthermore, no official guidelines have been given to health
care providers regarding treatment of the disease.
6. (SBU) There is currently no testing facility in the UAE
to verify the presence of the bird flu. The UAEG requested
help in setting up a lab, but according to Dr. Al Hosseini,
that request was turned down by the WHO since no actual case
of the bird flu has been found in the UAE. Dr. Al Hosseini
stated that the task force is independently trying to set up
a testing facility where the preliminary results would be
known in twenty minutes.
7. (U) The UAE delegate to the IPAPI Senior Officials
meeting October 7-8 will be the Director of Plant Quarantine
at the Ministry of Agriculture, Mohammed Moussa Abdullah,
date of birth: September 16, 1964; passport number:
A1247998.
QUINN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KSCA EAGR ECON PREL SOCI WHO FAO OIE
SENV, TC
SUBJECT: UAEG PREPARES FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA
REF: A. STATE 181885
B. STATE 183738
C. STATE 182324
D. STATE 180478
E. STATE 175585
1. (U) Summary: Recently, the UAEG established a task
force to devise a contingency plan to block avian influenza
from entering the country. As such, the Agriculture and
Fisheries Ministry has imposed a ban on the import of live
birds and their products from countries where cases of the
disease have been detected. The Ministry has also banned
poultry from flu-infected countries unless an approved lab
certifies it to be disease-free for fifteen days before
imported. Subsequent to the plan,s announcement, embassy
nurses met with the Director of Infectious Disease, Dr.
Farida Al Hosseini, to further discuss the UAEG,s avian flu
preparations. End Summary.
2. (U) The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi recently released a
35 million dirham (9.5 million USD) plan to combat bird flu.
Under the plan, if poultry or any birds test positive for
either high or low pathogenic avian influenza virus they will
be destroyed immediately, including all contaminated feed,
waste products and other potentially infectious material.
The plan also provides that any chicken coops, equipment,
containers, vehicles or other items that may have come in
contact with the infected bird, will be disinfected.
Furthermore, poultry workers, zoo staff, pet shop employees,
veterinarians and breeding centers will also be screened for
the disease. Sampling will also be conducted of suspected
airport passengers showing symptoms of the bird flu.
Environment Agency Secretary General, Majid Al-Mansouri, told
Econchief that he was working on the UAEG,s plans. He had
originally been tasked with the program for the Emirate of
Abu Dhabi, but the government expanded his agency,s
responsibilities. Al-Mansouri will be meeting with a
delegation on climate change so is unable to attend the
October 6-7 high level meeting in Washington.
3. (U) On October 1, the Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries held a seminar at the Abu Dhabi Food Control
Authority regarding preventative measures for avian
influenza. Saeed Mohammed Al Raqbani, Minister of
Agriculture and Fisheries, said that the bird flu was a
serious threat to human health. As such, the UAE has banned
the import of birds from countries which are known to have
the avian influenza.
4. (U) On October 4, embassy nurses met with the Director of
Infectious Disease for the Preventive Medicine Clinic in Abu
Dhabi, Dr. Farida Al Hosseini, to discuss avian flu
preparations in the UAE. Dr. Hosseini stated that the UAEG
originally requested 3,000,000 doses of Tamiflu, but
reportedly increased its request to 100,000,000 doses. The
supplier of the drug is expected to send less than the
3,000,000 doses originally requested in the next few weeks.
The UAEG does not know whether it will receive the remainder
of the Tamiflu requested.
5. (SBU) Dr. Al Hosseini told embassy nurses that the task
force committee has not yet established any guidelines
concerning who will receive the Tamiflu in the event of an
outbreak. Dispensing protocol will be decided once the
Tamiflu is received. One hospital in each UAE city will act
as an isolation center in the event of an outbreak. These
hospitals are being provided with protective equipment. Dr.
Hosseini also stated that the Preventative Health Clinic has
prepared educational pamphlets to hand out to the public if
there is an outbreak in the country. At this point, the UAEG
is not doing any outreach for fear of causing a panic.
Furthermore, no official guidelines have been given to health
care providers regarding treatment of the disease.
6. (SBU) There is currently no testing facility in the UAE
to verify the presence of the bird flu. The UAEG requested
help in setting up a lab, but according to Dr. Al Hosseini,
that request was turned down by the WHO since no actual case
of the bird flu has been found in the UAE. Dr. Al Hosseini
stated that the task force is independently trying to set up
a testing facility where the preliminary results would be
known in twenty minutes.
7. (U) The UAE delegate to the IPAPI Senior Officials
meeting October 7-8 will be the Director of Plant Quarantine
at the Ministry of Agriculture, Mohammed Moussa Abdullah,
date of birth: September 16, 1964; passport number:
A1247998.
QUINN