OMAN PASSES ON AVIAN FLU PARTNERSHIP

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001488

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KSCA EAGR ECON PREL SOCI MU ESTH
SUBJECT: OMAN PASSES ON AVIAN FLU PARTNERSHIP

REF: A. MUSCAT 1464 B. STATE 182324 C. STATE 180478

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Summary
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1. (SBU) Summary. A Ministry of Health official said that
Oman will not participate in the International Partnership on
Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI),or in the October 6-7
senior officials meeting. However, he outlined the steps
that Oman has already undertaken steps to prepare for a
potential outbreak of avian influenza, and expressed interest
in collaborating on a regional basis. End Summary.

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Oman's Strategy
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2. (SBU) On October 3, Econoff met with Dr. Salah al-Awaidy,
Director of the Department of Surveillance and Disease
Control, Ministry of Health, to discuss Oman's interest in
joining IPAPI and participating in the senior officials
meeting scheduled for October 6-7 in Washington, DC (ref B).
Al-Awaidy said Oman would pass on both accounts. Al-Awaidy
noted that Oman was well underway in preparing itself for a
potential outbreak of avian influenza, specifically in the
areas of:

(a) Surveillance. Al-Awaidy cited Oman's collaboration with
the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease
Control through the establishment of four sentinel
surveillance sites. These sites obtain throat swabs that are
then sent to the NAMRU-3 laboratory in Cairo for analysis.
In addition, the National Zoonotic Committee, comprised of
members from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries, has developed indicators to detect
the presence of avian influenza. Furthermore, poultry bred
in Oman are bled twice a year to ascertain whether the virus
is in circulation.

(b) Public awareness. Al-Awaidy noted that the Ministry of
Health already has launched an avian influenza public
awareness campaign. The Ministry, in association with the
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, sponsors lectures and
workshops for health care and poultry workers to detect and
quarantine cases of avian influenza. The Ministry of Health
also featured a "frequently asked questions" article on avian
influenza in its January 2005 newsletter, and plans to
distribute an avian influenza pamphlet, in Arabic, by
mid-October.

(c) Preparedness planning. Al-Awaidy stated that officials
from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture
are working closely to finalize a specific preparedness plan
for avian influenza. Based on a generic preparedness
blueprint for epidemics, this plan will outline Oman's
efforts in stockpiling necessary medications, acquiring
diagnostic capabilities, and exploring developments in
vaccinations.

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Open to Regional Cooperation
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3. (SBU) While not committed to joining the Partnership,
al-Awaidy welcomed the opportunity to collaborate on a
regional level, particularly among GCC countries, to share
information on recent developments in diagnostic
capabilities, preparedness planning, and progress in
identifying possible vaccinations.
BALTIMORE