VIETNAM - AVIAN FLU: MEDEVAC OPTIONS THRU

UNCLAS HANOI 000664

SIPDIS

FOR CA/OCS/ACS/EAP; EAP/EX; EAP/BCLTV
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC
STATE PASS HHS
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP FOR LEW STERN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMED AMGT CASC EAGR TBIO VM AFLU
SUBJECT: VIETNAM - AVIAN FLU: MEDEVAC OPTIONS THRU
INTERNATIONAL SOS

REF: Hanoi 626 and previous


1. Summary: The SOS International Clinic in Hanoi reports
that they have the capability to transport AI patients, but
cautions that it is uncertain whether the GVN will release
patients, or countries will be found to accept patients.
End Summary.


2. On March 9th, Consular Chief and MED specialist met with
the Medical Director of the SOS International Clinic in
Hanoi, Dr. Bruce Miller. (SOS is an international, for-
profit, emergency health care provider.) Dr. Miller said
that SOS has equipment and resources available to medevac
patients with respiratory symptoms. They have a "large
number" of isolation units that have been approved to
transport patients with highly contagious respiratory
illness. The units are spread around the world, but could
be brought to the Southeast Asian region if demand
increased.


3. With the use of these isolation units, the planes would
not have to be retrofitted to meet CDC guidelines. Pilots
and crew would wear N-95 respirators. SOS has redesigned and
gotten approval for a new respirator design which pilots can
legally wear while flying. SOS also has access to a wide
range of planes from lear jets to a C-130. While not every
pilot and plane owner is willing to transport highly
contagious patients, SOS has a cadre of pilots and plane
owners (of the full range of planes) who are fully informed
about the isolation units and willing to fly such patients.
SOS is capable of long-haul medevacs via short hops with re-
fueling, or, if necessary, a plane that can do mid-air re-
fueling.


4. An important outstanding issue is whether other
countries will accept patients. SOS has an agreement in
principle from G-7 countries to take back their own
citizens, but each case would be reviewed on a case-by-case
basis. SOS cannot guarantee that even his or her own, G-7
country will accept a patient. (A recent example that
illuminates Dr. Miller's hesitancy is one in which Canada
recently nearly refused landing rights to a commercial jet
full of passengers because one passenger was a patient (with
an eye injury and no respiratory symptoms) being escorted
from Vietnam. In the end the plane was allowed to land.)


5. Another unknown is whether or not the GVN will release
patients from isolation in Vietnamese hospitals. SOS has a
general agreement with the GVN to release patients being
transported in isolation units, but the ambulance would be
given a GVN military escort to the airport and permission in
each instance will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Because of the need for individual consideration of the
cases and arrangement for military escort, Dr. Miller warned
that if the number of cases became large, it would be
unlikely that the GVN would have the capacity to release
patients under these conditions.
BOARDMAN