Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05CAIRO8878
2005-11-23 16:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:  

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: AVIAN AND PANDEMIC

Tags:  TBIO SENV ECON EAGR EAID PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 008878 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO SENV ECON EAGR EAID PREL
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: AVIAN AND PANDEMIC
INFLUENZA

REF: SECSTATE 209622

This document is sensitive but unclassified. Please handle
accordingly.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 008878

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO SENV ECON EAGR EAID PREL
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: AVIAN AND PANDEMIC
INFLUENZA

REF: SECSTATE 209622

This document is sensitive but unclassified. Please handle
accordingly.


1. (SBU) Summary: This cable responds to requests for
information in reftel regarding the government of Egypt's
(GOE) planning and response capabilities with regard to the
threat of avian influenza (AI). The GOE has made AI a top
priority, and has taken steps to mobilize government
ministries and resources. The GOE works closely with Cairo's
Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU-3) and other agencies to
enhance its surveillance and response capabilities. It is
lacking in public health education, and needs to address the
issue of compensation for the culling of poultry should an AI
outbreak occur. End summary.

Following are answers keyed to questions in reftel:

A) Preparedness/Communication


2. (SBU) The GOE has grasped the health and economic risks
of AI, and has drafted a preparedness plan. It is neither
comprehensive nor does it give details about how the plan is
to be carried out. Embassy has a copy, which it has provided
to OES. The GOE is working within the Ministries of Health
(MOH) and Agriculture (MOA) to build its capacity for a
comprehensive response to an AI outbreak.


3. (SBU) Post believes that the GOE will be truthful in
reporting the scope of disease outbreak among people.
However, the MOA has a strong incentive to minimize the scope
of an outbreak in poultry. The strongest incentive to
transparency that could be offered by the USG to the GOE
would be compensation to farmers whose poultry must be
destroyed to contain an AI outbreak.


4. (SBU) Preparing for an AI epidemic is a top priority
for the GOE, which has deemed it a national security issue.
Recent interministerial meetings, which have been attended by
AIWG representatives, confirm that the GOE is making serious
efforts to work on a national response to AI and to enhance
its surveillance capabilities, which rely heavily on U.S.
assistance through USAID, FAS, APHIS and NAMRU-3, which is a
WHO reference laboratory. GOE's Minister of Health, Awad Tag
el-Din, has been designated as the lead minister for

planning. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MOH
Undersecretary Dr. Magda Rakha is the POC for AI for the GOE.
Another MOH undersecretary, Dr. Nasr El-Sayed, has been
working closely with NAMRU-3 and USAID to develop an
effective response to an AI outbreak. Ministry of
Agriculture Chief Veterinary Officer Ahmed Tawfik is the POC
for domestic surveillance of the poultry industry. To our
knowledge, national laws have not been reviewed to ensure
they are consistent with international health regulations.


5. (SBU) The GOE is working closely with international
organizations and organizations of other countries. These
organizations include WHO, FAO and the EU, and U.S.
organizations NAMRU-3, APHIS, FAS and USAID. NAMRU-3 and WHO
are invited to ministerial level AI planning meetings.
NAMRU-3 also reports that it has been contacted by the
Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFA),Defense (MOD),and
Agriculture (MOA). In addition, USAID, FAS and APHIS are
coordinating veterinary training activity with the MOA. The
GOE has requested assistance from the USG for laboratory
supplies and equipment, and training for surveillance and
response, both for poultry and human AI response.


6. (SBU) In Egypt, regular flu vaccine is available at
pharmacies, but the proportion of the population immunized is
very low. There is no centrally funded public health
influenza immunization program. Like the US, Egypt does not
immunize poultry against AI. There is no Tamiflu stockpile
available in Egypt. Post is not aware of any efforts to
develop an H5N1 vaccine in Egypt.


7. (SBU) At present, the populace is poorly informed about
the AI threat and the precautions they need to take.
Television, newspapers and mosques reach most of the
population, but there is no education plan in place yet. The
MOH has approached USAID's behavior change communication
project for assistance in developing informational materials,
and is developing a plan for development and dissemination.

B) Surveillance/Detection


8. (SBU) The GOE medical sectors are very capable of
detecting new strains of influenza. Should suspected human
cases occur, specimens can be sent to NAMRU-3, the regional
WHO reference laboratory. A suspect specimen can be typed by
PCR in less than 24 hours. There is a similar capability to
detect disease in wild birds. However, the capability to
detect AI in poultry remains problematic, since the GOE
insists on processing specimens in MOA labs, which are
well-equipped but not designed for testing a large number of
specimens.

9. (SBU) Critical needs with regard to detection
capabilities remain, including a need for aggressive
surveillance of poultry by the MOA, and virology lab training
for MOA technicians. In addition, the GOE does not have a
stockpile of medications or personal protective equipment,
and the rapid response capability for animal and human
outbreaks is limited. Mobile Response teams having both
medical and veterinary capability have been formed, but these
teams require training. USAID, APHIS and NAMRU-3 are working
with the GOE to provide needed training and equipment.
Post's RMO has expressed concern about Egypt's capability to
respond to a human AI outbreak.


10. (SBU) No guidelines have been published with regard to
culling, vaccination, quarantine and isolation to contain an
AI outbreak. The GOE is mobilizing, with U.S. assistance, to
be prepared to undertake necessary measures, through
USAID-funded development of rapid mobile response teams and
training for lab technicians and veterinary experts, with the
assistance of APHIS, FAS, and NAMRU-3.


RICCIARDONE