IIR 6 947 0013 06/AIDS, MEDICAL PERSONAL CARE, LEADERS DO

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUSHANBE 001944 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/5/2015 TAGS: MCAP TI SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0013 06/AIDS, MEDICAL PERSONAL CARE, LEADERS DO NOT (U) CLASSIFIED BY: Jonathan Edwards, DATT, USDAO Dushanbe, DIA. REASON: 1.4 (a) CONFIDENTIAL SIPDIS SERIAL: (U) IIR 6 947 0013 06. COUNTRIES: (U) TAJIKISTAN (TI) IPSP: (U) IFC1510, IFC1590, IFC2500, IFC1913, IFC2550, IFC2210. SUBJECT: IIR 6 947 0013 06/AIDS, MEDICAL PERSONAL CARE, LEADERS DO NOT (U) WARNING: (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. REPORT CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN -------------- -------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE -------------- -------------- DOI: (U) 20051201 REQS: (U) GOSG181700104, GOSG181600403, DHCD111049, DHCD111054, DHCD111044, DHCD045061, SOURCE: (C) //MEMBER USDAO DUSHANBE//MEMBER HAS AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP WITH TAJIK MILITARY MEDICAL LEADERS. CONTEXT STATEMENT-MILITARY MEDICAL LEADERS TEND TO BE MORE FRANK AND OPEN REGARDING ISSUES THAT IMPACT THEIR WORK. HOWEVER, MANY MILITARY MEDICAL LEADERS ARE ISOLATED FROM THE DECISION PROCESS IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. SUMMARY: (C) MILITARY MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE ARE DEVELOPING AN AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM TO CONFRONT THE SPREAD OF AIDS. HOWEVER, THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE LEADERSHIP APPEARS UNINTERESTED, LEAVING MOST EFFORTS TO UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE. TEXT: 1. (U) ON 1 DECEMBER, WORLD AIDS DAY, THE TAJIK MINISTRY OF DEFENSE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT HOSTED AN AIDS INFORMATIONAL/ENTERTAINMENT EVENT AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE HEADQUARTERS. RO AND THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION ATTENDED AND SPOKE DURING THE EVENT. GENERAL MAJOR ((GRUDINA)),ONE OF THE DEPUTY MINISTERS OF DEFENSE, A NUMBER OF SENIOR TAJIK MILITARY MEDICAL OFFICERS WERE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE AND APPROXIMATELY 40 JUNIOR OFFICERS AND CIVILIANS FROM THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT AND FOREIGN RELATIONS DEPARTMENT WERE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE. ¶2. (C) MG GRUDINA OPENED THE EVENT WITH A SHORT FIVE- MINUTE SPEECH THAT RECOGNIZED AIDS IS AN ISSUE OF CONCERN WITHIN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. HE NOTED THAT HE WAS UNSURE OF THE LEVEL OF THE THREAT AND POINTED OUT THAT TAJIKISTAN HAS LITTLE EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH SUCH ISSUES. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE DISEASE IS SPREADING AND TAJIKISTAN NEEDS TO ENCOURAGE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES. MG GRUDINA THEN NOTED HE HAD AN IMPORTANT MEETING WITH THE MINISTER AND NEEDED TO DEPART QUICKLY. [FIELD COMMENT: RO HAS HEARD MG GRUDINA SPECIFICALLY STATE TO AN AMERICAN OFFICER THAT THE UNITED STATES PUTS TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON ITS AIDS PROGRAM WITH TAJIKISTAN. HE STATED THAT AIDS IS NOT AS SERIOUS AS THE U.S. PORTRAYS AND THE MONEY WOULD BE BETTER SPENT ON OTHER ASSISTANCE. MG GRUDINA WAS CLEARLY UNCOMFORTABLE AT THE AIDS FORUM.] ¶3. (U) FOLLOWING A SPEECH FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION, COLONEL M.K. ((KIEMOVA)),DIRECTOR OF THE MOD MEDICAL DEPARTMENT SPOKE. AFTER STATING THE GLOBAL AIDS SITUATION, COLONEL KIEMOVA NOTED THAT 500 TAJIKS ARE INFECTED TODAY. TAJIKISTAN NEEDS TO TAKE STRONGER MEASURES TO STEM THE SPREAD, HE SAID. HE EMPHASIZED THAT SOCIAL-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN TAJIKISTAN ARE HELPING TO INCREASE THE SPREAD OF AIDS. HE SAID THE USE OF ILLEGAL NARCOTICS IS THE PRIMARY CONDUIT BY WHICH AIDS IS SPREAD. THE GOVERNMENT OF TAJIKISTAN HAS DIRECTED THROUGH SOCIAL LAWS THAT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE CONDUCT PREVENTATIVE MEASURES AGAINST THE SPREAD OF AIDS. HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THE MOD HAS INCREASED ITS PREVENTATIVE MEASURES WITH THE HELP OF DONOR NATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE UNITED STATES. HE ADDED THAT THE CENTRAL MILITARY HOSPITAL AND THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY ARE WORKING HARD TO FURTHER EXPAND THE PROGRAM. THE RESULTS OF THIS COOPERATION HAS BEEN THE TRAINING OF DOCTORS, LAB TECHNICIANS AND NURSES IN PREVENTATIVE, TESTING AND CARE. THE HOSPITAL IS WORKING HARD TO TEST MORE SOLDIERS AND IDENTIFY THOSE NOT ALREADY TESTED. THE HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL DEPARTMENT ARE LEADING THE MOD'S EFFORTS, AND THEIR EFFORTS CONTINUE TO EXPAND. ¶4. (U) COL ((USMANOVA)),DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL TAJIK MILITARY HOSPITAL PROVIDED A BRIEFING ON THE MOD'S SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. THE BRIEFING STARTED NOTING THAT HIV IS SPREADING IN TAJIKISTAN AND IT IS A PROBLEM THE MOD MUST ADDRESS AND IS DOING SO. THE MOD IS CREATING AN ELEMENT WITHIN THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT DEDICATED TO HIV EDUCATION AND TRAINING. THE MOD IS WORKING TO CREATE LABARATORIES AT EACH MAJOR TRAINING BASE. THE MOD IS PARTICIPATING IN THE TAJIK GOVERNMENT'S STRATEGIC THREE-YEAR PLAN. THE FACT THAT MOST MILITARY ACTIVITY AND MOBILIZATIONS INVOLVE YOUNG SOLDIERS, HIV IS A SPECIAL CONCERN OF THE MOD. THE MOD'S EDUCATION PROGRAM ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE SOLDIERS TO UNDERSTAND HIV, ITS CAUSES AND AVOID DISCRIMINATING AGAINST/HARASSING THOSE WITH HIV. IN CLOSING, THE BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTED THAT SOLDIERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ARE DEPLOYED INTO AREAS WHERE THE RISK OF HIV IS VERY HIGH. COL USMANOVA ADDED THAT THE TAJIK MILITARY MUST BE BETTER EDUCATED AND BETTER PREPARED, BUT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE. ¶4. (C) FOLLOWING THE DIRECTOR'S SPEECH THE AUDIENCE ENJOYED A FEW ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS SPONSORED BY LOCAL STUDENT GROUPS AND NGOS. AFTER THE EVENTS A SELECT NUMBER OF ATTENDEES ENJOYED THE TYPICAL LARGE TAJIK LUNCH. DURING THE LUNCH IN RESPONSE TO A FEW QUESTIONS FROM RO, COLONEL KIEMOVA NOTED THAT THE MOD STILL NEEDS MORE FUNDS TO SPREAD THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE FIELD. HE THANKED RO A NUMBER OF TIMES FOR THE UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND NOTED HOW LITTLE WOULD BE DONE IN THE MOD WITHOUT THIS ASSISTANCE. HE SAID THAT WHILE IT IS HARD TO GET THE MOD TO TAKE THE SPREAD OF AIDS SERIOUSLY, HE FELT PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE. AFTER RO'S COMMENT, HE HOPED TO TAKE SOME OF THE ENTERTAINMENT ACTS ON THE ROAD TO SUPPORT THEIR AWARENESS PROGRAM, BUT NOTED AGAIN THAT THE MOD NEEDS MORE FUNDS TO DO THIS RIGHT. COMMENTS: 1. (C) FIELD COMMENT: RO WAS SURPRISED AT THE QUALITY AND EFFORT DISPLAYED DURING THIS MOD-SPONSORED EVENT. RO UNDERSTANDING OF MOD AIDS PREVENTION PRIOR TO THIS EVENT WAS LIMITED TO A FEW DISCUSSIONS WITH SENIOR LEADERS IN THE MOD WHO DO NOT RECOGNIZE AIDS AS A PROBLEM. THE MOD MEDICAL DEPARTMENT AND THE HOSPITAL ARE CLEARLY ENGAGED IN TRYING TO EXPAND THE MINISTRY'S AIDS AWARENESS AND TESTING PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, DURING THE EVENT RO SAW THE MAJORITY OF TAJIKS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER DISCUSSED. ONE SKIT INCLUDED SIMULATING PUTTING A CONDOM ON, TO WHICH THE MAJORITY PRESENT FIDGETED AND GIGGLED. WHILE MOST TAJIKS ARE CONSIDERED SECULAR MUSLIMS, THE SUBJECT OF AIDS PREVENTION IS DIFFICULT TO DISCUSS. IN ADDITION, PROBABLY 90 PERCENT OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE WERE FROM THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OR CENTRAL MILITARY HOSPITAL. THE OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE WERE MOSTLY FROM THE FOREIGN RELATIONS DEPARTMENT. THIS EVENT ON WORLD AIDS AWARENESS DAY IN THE MOD HEADQUARTERS LACKED THE PRESENCE OF MOD LEADERSHIP AND NON-MEDICAL SOLDIERS AND LEADERS. GIVEN NEARLY THE ENTIRE EVENT WAS FUNDED BY U.S. ASSISTANCE, IT APPEARS THE AIDS PROGRAM IN THE MOD HAS VERY LIMITED EXPOSURE AT THIS TIME. THE DIRECTOR'S COMMENT THAT APPROXIMATELY 500 TAJIKS ARE INFECTED WITH HIV IS WELL BELOW MOST INTERNATIONAL FIGURES. ¶2. (U) HEADQUARTERS COMMENT. REQUEST ORIGINATOR OF CITED REQUIREMENTS AND INTERESTED CONSUMERS PUBLISH AN EVALUATION OF THIS IIR IAW CHAPTER 13, DIAM 58-12, OR SUBMIT EVALUATION INPUT USING THE FORM LOCATED ON THE DHO- 2 WEB PAGE ON SIPRNET (HTTP://DO.DIA.SMIL.MIL/DHO2/EVALFORM/EVAL.HT ML) OR JWICS (HTTP://DH.DIA.IC.GOV/DHO2/EVALFORM/EVALFORM. HTML) DHO-2 WILL PUBLISH THE INPUT AS AN IIR EVALUATION. ¶3. (U) SOURCE IS AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER CONTACT. ¶4. (U) DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS IIR TO DIA/DHO-2 AT STU III (202) 231-7299, OR DSN 428-7299. COLL: (U) AB. INSTR: (U) U.S. NO. PREP: (U) 6-04708. ENCL: (U) NONE. ACQ: (U) GARMISCH, GERMANY (20051201) DISSEM: (U) FIELD: EMBASSY AT DUSHANBE. WARNING: (U) REPORT CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL DRVD FM: DHS HUMINT SCG OCT 04 DECL ON: 20151201 HOAGLAND NNNN