Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05RANGOON1157
2005-10-12 09:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:  

BURMA ILL-PREPARED FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK

Tags:  PINR SOCI PGOV PHUM EAID EAGR BM 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001157 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2015
TAGS: PINR SOCI PGOV PHUM EAID EAGR BM
SUBJECT: BURMA ILL-PREPARED FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK

REF: RANGOON 1036 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief, W. Patrick Murphy for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001157

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2015
TAGS: PINR SOCI PGOV PHUM EAID EAGR BM
SUBJECT: BURMA ILL-PREPARED FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK

REF: RANGOON 1036 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief, W. Patrick Murphy for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: Representatives in Burma of the World Health
Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) assess that the GOB is aware of a potential Avian
Influenza threat in Burma and has some sort of a national
preparedness plan. The WHO and FAO representatives note,
however, that Burma lacks resources, training, and testing
capacity to cope with public health emergencies and suggest
that senior Burmese military officials are likely to try to
suppress news of an AI outbreak. A major poultry producer
believes that GOB shortcomings are partially a result of a
lack of resources, but more importantly reflect the regime's
proclivity to withhold negative news. We do not see many
encouraging signs that the regime's senior leaders will act
any more quickly with the AI threat than they have with other
ongoing health crises. End Summary.

WHO AND FAO: THE GOB'S MANY SHORTCOMINGS
--------------


2. (SBU) The Charge met on October 4 with Professor Adik
Wibowo, WHO Representative to Burma. Other WHO officials
attending the meeting were Dr. Hans Kluge (TB and HIV
Adviser),Dr. Stefania Pace-Shanklin (WHO's local expert on
Avian Influenza),and P.P. Singh, program officer. The WHO
officials said that the Health Ministry takes the threat of
Avian Influenza (AI) very seriously and has prepared a draft
national preparedness plan. High level concern, however,
does not change the fact that Burma's hospitals have very
limited facilities, lack the Tamiflu vaccine, and do not have
the resources to obtain medicines and other supplies
necessary to deal with an AI outbreak.


3. (C) Dr. Pace-Shanklin elaborated that although the GOB is
aware of the AI threat, Burmese laboratories lack the
training and equipment to test for AI strains. For instance,
they lack the reagents required for testing. WHO could
supply the reagents, but the country's only two labs capable

of testing first need substantial investment in equipment and
training. WHO has a budget for such training, Dr.
Pace-Shanklin said, and has begun bringing consultants to
Burma for this purpose.


4. (C) In response to the Charge's question whether the GOB
has the capacity to detect potential AI outbreaks, Dr.
Pace-Shanklin explained that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has
a surveillance system, but it is barely adequate. The more
vexing issue is whether GOB health authorities would be
permitted to report publicly any AI findings. MOH field
offices seeking to report an AI case, for example, must
obtain permission first from the local military commander,
who in turn could prohibit further dissemination. Professor
Wibowo opined that the international community needs to
develop better relations with the MOH in order to learn
through informal channels, as well, of likely outbreaks.


5. (C) In a separate meeting with the Charge on October 5,
FAO's Burma Representative, Tang Zhenping, affirmed that the
Ministry of Livestock, Breeding, and Fisheries is aware of
the seriousness of the AI threat and has increased its
monitoring. He expressed the view that disease outbreaks in
animals would likely be reported back to the capital, because
such cases would not involve humans and therefore would not
be as sensitive. Although the FAO has provided some
AI-related training and assistance, Tang said he doubted that
the Ministry had any ability to monitor or control beyond the
country's "very few" industrial-scale poultry operations.
The Ministry, he added, has no effective network to reach the
vast majority of small household poultry operations scattered
throughout the country.

PRIVATE SECTOR VIEW: EQUALLY DISCOURAGING
--------------


6. (SBU) On October 4, Embassy Rangoon hosted a briefing for
the mission's AI task force by representatives from JAPFA
(Maykka Industries Limited),an Indonesian-Burmese joint
venture that is Burma's second largest poultry producer (the
largest is a Thai-Burmese joint venture). JAPFA has an
annual production volume of over 10 million chickens,
produced for the domestic market only. Company veterinarians
described their rigorous standards for preventing AI and
other diseases from infecting their bird populations, but
acknowledged that the standard is a company and
industry-driven one, not one encouraged or imposed by the
GOB. The company also has broad protocols for stemming the
spread of infection should an outbreak occur, including
isolation of bird populations and self-culling. The company
vets noted that the most accurate methods and facilities for
testing, however, do not exist in Burma; samples must be sent
outside the country to be tested for AI.


7. (C) JAPFA reps told us in confidence that their regular
interaction with the GOB--primarily at the Ministry of
Livestock--revealed that officials are generally aware of the
AI threat and the potential for an outbreak in Burma. The
GOB, however, has failed to establish procedures for
information sharing and has neglected to create any ad hoc
testing mechanism. JAPFA reps said that Burma is far behind
other countries in the region in staying on top of the AI
problem. They confided that GOB shortcomings are partially a
result of a lack of resources, but more importantly reflect
the mindset of a military regime that withholds negative news
in order to avoid instability or negative economic
repercussions.


8. (SBU) USAID/Bangkok's Matt Friedman also briefed the task
force on the regional impact of AI and explained that the
real threat of an outbreak in Burma does not exist at large
production facilities--such as JAPFA's, where the company has
the resources and incentive to protect its substantial
investment and income--but rather among the countless "free
range" backyard poultry operations run by small companies or
individual farmers. At these locations, which are numerous
in Burma, the poultry populations are more exposed to
infected wild birds. Small poultry operators are unlikely to
report suspicious infections for fear of provoking massive
culling without compensation. Friedman stated that the AI
threat in Burma will remain extremely serious in the absence
of public education programs, systematic testing,
transparency, and adequate procedures for dealing with a
potential outbreak.

COMMENT: NO CAPACITY, NO WILL
--------------


9. (C) Many local observers believe that the GOB would treat
a serious AI outbreak in Burma as it handles other diseases
and natural disasters, i.e. with silence. Burma lacks the
resources to handle adequately the public safety and
assistance dimensions of a major health crisis and the regime
generals would likely be unwilling to disseminate information
widely, for fear that they would appear weak and vulnerable.
It took years before the GOB acknowledged the country's
severe HIV/AIDS crisis and the domestic repercussions of
illicit drug production and trafficking. It took even longer
to respond with minimal countermeasures.


10. (C) We do not see many encouraging signs that the senior
leadership will act any more quickly in dealing with the
threats posed by Avian Influenza. We will nonetheless
continue to work closely with the interested NGO and UN
community to increase public awareness of the threat and
suggest preventative measures. In the meantime, Health and
Livestock Ministry officials welcome increased information
and assistance and are willing to join regional meetings. We
should encourage their participation. End Comment.
Villarosa