VIETNAM: AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON MINISTER OF HEALTH,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000162

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE PASS USAID FOR ANE/KUNDER AND ANE-SPO BRADY
STATE ALSO PASS USAID FOR ANE/KENNEDY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON OSCI VM AFLU HIV AIDS
SUBJECT: VIETNAM: AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON MINISTER OF HEALTH,
MADAME TRAN THI TRUNG CHIEN


1. Summary: In a January 14 meeting with the Ambassador,
Minister of Health Tran Thi Trung Chien thanked the United
States for additional Emergency Plan funding for HIV/AIDS
interventions in Vietnam. She responded to the Ambassador's
push for more efficient and effective HIV/AIDS cooperation
both across ministries and between the U.S. agencies and the
GVN by pointing to the inter-ministerial Coordinating
Committee that was formed under the oversight of the Ministry
of Health (MOH) to guide the implementation of the
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan).
Minister Chien also requested an official letter from the
U.S. Government specifying the mechanism of disbursement and
priorities for Emergency Plan funds to facilitate
communication and action in this area. She emphasized that
MOH was the focal point of all HIV/AIDS activities in
Vietnam. In the context of renewed concern about Avian
Influenza, Chien appealed for USG support for equipment and
training. She assigned members of her staff who were present
as point of contact for key follow-up actions discussed in
the meeting, including resolving the delays on a dioxin-birth
defect study. End Summary.

HIV/AIDS
--------------

2. The Ambassador affirmed USG commitment to assist
Vietnam's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. In addition to the key
areas of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment of the
Emergency Plan, he highlighted the critical importance of
eliminating stigma and discrimination, particularly in the
areas of employment and schooling. Two pressing issues
raised by the Ambassador were program coordination and the
supply of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for treatment.


3. When asked about the GVN's HIV/AIDS efforts across other
agencies and ministries and about an opportunity for the
Ambassador to meet with and brief the National Standing
Committee for HIV/AIDS, Prostitution and Drug Prevention
(Note: This National Standing Committee is Chaired by Deputy
Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem and is responsible for
coordinating HIV/AIDS policy across agencies and ministries.
End Note.),Minister Chien stated repeatedly that MOH was the
focal point of all GVN HIV/AIDS activities and that all
contact on in this area should be communicated through MOH's
International Cooperation Department. This, she said, would
save the USG the time of contacting multiple ministries and
members and would allow MOH to be fully informed of all
activities and requests. While Minister Chien was
unresponsive to the Ambassador's urging for a meeting with
the National Standing Committee, she agreed to share a list
of the members of the National Coordinating Committee for the
Emergency Plan and to consider the possibility of the
Ambassador meeting personally with its members. (Note: The
National Coordinating Committee was formed by an MOH Decision
in November 2004. It is chaired by Madame Chien and its
express purpose is to guide the implementation of the
Emergency Plan. End Note.)


4. According to Minister Chien, the primary difficulty for
MOH in efficiently facilitating Emergency Plan activities and
coordination was that the GVN had not received official
notification from the USG on the specific amount of the
award, its mechanism for disbursement and the priorities for
use of the funds. Citing the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB
and Malaria (GFATM),Minister Chien stated that MOH had
received clear GFATM objectives and guidelines for specific
activities with the amount of funding for each year and a
timeline for each activity so that MOH could prepare and
respond appropriately. She requested an official letter with
such specifics on the Emergency Plan to be sent to MOH so
that it could be reviewed by the GVN. The Ambassador
acknowledged the need for greater clarity for Emergency Plan
activities and funding, noting Vietnam's late selection as
the fifteenth focus country. He shared the news that
Ambassador Tobias has just approved the USG's five-year
HIV/AIDS strategy for Vietnam and the proposed plan of
activities for the coming year. This news would be
communicated quickly through official channels to the GVN, he
promised.


5. The Ambassador noted that under USG policy, ARV drugs
paid for by the USG must be approved by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA). He expressed hope for MOH
assistance in bringing approved ARVs into Vietnam to
facilitate treatment. The Ambassador also noted that the
ideal situation was for locally produced drugs to get FDA
approval, but added that neither of the two companies in
Vietnam producing ARVs had applied for FDA approval. He
offered the assistance of the Embassy's Health Attach to
assist these companies through the application process.
Minister Chien noted that she had visited a German supported
company in Ho Chi Minh City with an ARV drug formula meeting
WHO guidelines and significantly cheaper than market price.
She assigned the Director of MOH's Therapy Department to work
with the USG on the issue of ARV supply.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
--------------

6. Asked about other MOH priorities beyond HIV/AIDS,
Minister Chien described the urgent need to improve Vietnam's
laboratory infrastructure and human capacity to test for and
prevent an Avian Influenza pandemic. She requested support
for emergency medical equipment for the country's three
regional laboratories and training of experts in laboratory
skills. Minister Chien agreed to prepare a written proposal
that MOH would submit to the Embassy for consideration.

Disability and Rehabilitation
--------------

7. The Ambassador and Minister Chien shared their concerns
over the issue of disabilities. The Ambassador reaffirmed
the long history and successes the United States and Vietnam
have shared working together on this issue. He noted the
USG's continued commitment to support Vietnam in this area,
and informed the Minister that the Embassy intends to review
past and current efforts in order to provide the best
possible assistance.

Agent ORANGE
--------------

8. One final concern raised by the Ambassador was
cooperation on measuring the effects of Agent ORANGE. The
two main areas in question are environmental effects and
birth defects. The Ambassador noted his concern that
questions over funding mechanism had delayed a proposed birth
defect study and warned that further delays may mean loss of
funding. He urged Minister Chien to help resolve the problem
before the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday in February so that
the United States and Vietnam can work together on this
sensitive but important issue. Chien agreed to do so, and
designated Dr. Truong Viet Dzung, Director of the Department
on Science and Training, to take the lead on the issue.


9. Comment: Minister Chien described key priorities of MOH
that are clearly areas of mutual interest for the USG. She
pointed to the good cooperation MOH has with the Embassy
Health Attache, but did not answer the Ambassador's request
for establishing direct working relationships between the USG
HIV/AIDS team and other relevant ministries outside of MOH.
While Chien ended the meeting on a positive note, agreeing to
share a list of the members of the interagency Coordinating
Committee for the Emergency Plan and implying that a meeting
of the Ambassador and that Committee was possible, she was
insistent on keeping communications formal and channeling all
USG requests through MOH's International Cooperation
Department. It was not clear if Chien's focus on the
Coordinating Committee under MOH instead of the National
Standing Committee under DPM Khiem was due to a
miscommunication or if she was reluctant to facilitate direct
USG contact with the National Standing Committee. End
Comment.

MARINE