Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NDJAMENA1561
2005-10-21 15:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ndjamena
Cable title:  

CHAD: PREPAREDNESS FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA

Tags:  SENV CD 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


ACTION OES-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 
 DOEE-00 EAP-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 
 IO-00 M-00 AC-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 OIC-00 NIMA-00 
 EPAU-00 MCC-00 GIWI-00 ACE-00 IRM-00 BBG-00 EPAE-00 
 SCRS-00 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /001W
 ------------------50368A 211459Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2487
INFO AMEMBASSY ABUJA 
AMEMBASSY ACCRA 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 
AMEMBASSY BANGUI 
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY NIAMEY 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
AMEMBASSY ROME 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 
AMCONSUL LAGOS 
USMISSION GENEVA
UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001561 

SIPDIS


PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, ROME FOR FODAG. ACCRA
FOR WARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV CD
SUBJECT: CHAD: PREPAREDNESS FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA

REF: TAMLYN-COONEY E-MAIL 10/20/05

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 001561

SIPDIS


PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, ROME FOR FODAG. ACCRA
FOR WARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV CD
SUBJECT: CHAD: PREPAREDNESS FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA

REF: TAMLYN-COONEY E-MAIL 10/20/05


1. Summary: Chad does not have an effective animal health
surveillance system and will be relying on donor support and
international organizations to identify and respond to any
potential outbreak of avian influenza. Lake Chad and its
tributaries attract large numbers of migrating birds (in
particular, wild ducks and storks) October through December.
Chad does not have a large domestic poultry sector. End
Summary.


2. DCM met with Dr. Yao Kassankogo, Representative of the
World Health Organization (WHO) and Dr. Mamadou Diallo,
Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
10/19 to discuss Chad's preparedness for a possible spread of
avian influenza. Both WHO and FAO have well-developed
relationships with counterparts in the Government of Chad
(GOC) as a result of administering UN programs in Chad.


3. The Government of Chad has not officially recognized the
implications of avian influenza, but reportedly some
individual members of the relevant ministries understand the
seriousness of the issue. FAO has sent out to the donor
community two tranches of information in the last month on
the situation world-wide, but there has been no media
coverage and public awareness is low to non-existent.


4. Both WHO and FAO reps have been in touch with their
counterparts over the last week to discuss the need to
establish national mechanisms. The GOC does not at this time
have either a national preparedness plan or a national task
force. FAO is proposing creation of a multi-sectoral task
force (to include animal and human health) headed by the
Ministry of Animal Production (french: "elevage.") The FAO
is also working with the GOC to get out a request for
technical assistance in order to develop a national plan.
Dr. Diallo hoped that this request would be ready by October

24. FAO will share the GOC request with the Embassy. The
GOC request should contain additional information on the
local avian situation (wild and domesticated),including on
species expected to migrate through Lake Chad.


5. The GOC is not well-equipped for surveillance. Borders
are not well policed. Slaughterhouses in the two main cities
(N'Djamena and Abeche) are essentially the only points of
animal health control. Poultry is not raised on an
industrial scale and is privately slaughtered. The GOC has
very little capacity to rapidly collect, store and transport
human or animal specimens for testing. Samples would need to
go to Bangui (the Pasteur Institute) or to Paris or London.


6. The GOC does not have adequate capacity to quickly
mobilize effective containment measures in response to
outbreaks of animal disease. Asked to comment on areas of
greatest need, FAO and WHO reps responded informally that
assistance was need with surveillance and (if necessary)
containment. Items suggested included:

-- vehicles, fuel, assistance with samples and testing;
-- assistance with providing public information on safe
handling of infected animals;
-- material and financial support in the event that large
culls are needed.


7. Martin Wiese, a German geographer currently working as
the Assistant Director at the Veterinary Laboratory in
N'Djamena reported that the Lake Chad region and its
tributaries are host to large numbers of southward-bound
migrating birds, particularly wild ducks and storks. While
poultry production is not widespread in Chad, much of it is
concentrated near the Lake Chad tributaries. The next large
migration is expected in November.
WALL


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