YEMEN AND AVIAN FLU - LONG ON STRATEGY - SHORT ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003167 SIPDIS PASS TO USAID EGAT GLOBAL HEALTH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KSCA KPAO EAGR ECON PREL SOCI YM WHO AID ECON COM ENVIRONMENT SUBJECT: YEMEN AND AVIAN FLU - LONG ON STRATEGY - SHORT ON FUNDING Ref: (a) State 191653 (b) State 182324 (c) State 180478 (d) State 175585 (e) State 164134 ¶1. SUMMARY: A/DCM Tom Burke, accompanied by USAID's Senior Health Advisor in Yemen, Dr. Ahmed Attieg, met with Yemeni Public Health Deputy Minister, Dr. Majid al-Gunaid at his request on 10/17/2005, at which he discussed Yemen state of preparations to respond to the Avian Flu Influenza. Deputy Minister al-Gunaid also requested USG financial assistance to bolster Yemen's preparations to the virus should an outbreak occur and indicated a willingness to consider Yemen in joining the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI). -------------- Yemen's Strategy -------------- ¶2. Dr. al-Gunaid explained that the Ministry of Public Health's strategy to prepare for and respond should an incident of Avian Influenza occur was to be presented to Parliament on October 18. As of this cable, Parliament had not yet approved the plan for which the Deputy Minister was seeking unspecified USG financial assistance, while also indicating that Yemen would consider joining IPAPI. ¶3. Yemen's Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MAI) and the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) are both responsible for responding to any incident that might indicate an incidence of Avian Influenza. The country's first line of defense, Dr. al- Gunaid explained, was aimed at migratory birds and live poultry with MAI taking the lead through its surveillance systems. He mentioned that "some poultry has died recently from some kind of disease, where influenza was suspected, though later proven not be the case." The MAI does not have test kits for diagnosing th disease in animals, but they were expected to arrive the followi week. He did not mention if anyone is trained in using the test kits. The Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Agriculture are concerned about the possibility of transmission from human-t human and the potentially disastrous effect on the Yemeni and global economy. ¶4. Yemen's second line of defense is aimed at humans, with the Ministry of Health taking the lead in this area. The Deputy Minister indicated that the country was "strengthening" its 
 surveillance system in this regard. He also advised that there a need for more diagnostic equipment that is more sensitive than the system currently available in the country, as it is a passiv system (described as a "wait-and-report" model) where they wait for confirmed cases to be sent back to the capitol (Sanaa). Ove 430 stationary sites throughout Yemen are part of this surveillance network. The Ministry of Health now desires an active surveillance system using mobile teams to go out in to th field and search for suspected infections, and is negotiating wi the Ministry of Finance to fund it assuming the overall strategy is approved by Parliament. ¶5. The Government of Yemen has been in contact with GCC and other neighboring countries to sign a joint statement on Avian Flu, but post has no knowledge of any such statement being initiated or signed by Yemen. ¶6. The A/DCM pointed out that the Embassy had sent a demarche to the MFA with a copy to the Ministry of Health discussing the USG IPAPI initiative, and that the Ministry had not responded. Dr. al-Gunaid indicated he had not seen the demarche but indicated Yemen would be interested in joining IPAPI, and was seeking USG funding to support their strategy. He also indicated that his office had contacted representatives from the WHO, but no other NGOs' at the time of the meeting. After the short exchange the meeting was concluded with an indication that the Ministry of Health would provide the embassy with a copy of their strategy when it was approved, following which representatives would meet again. -------------- USAID Actions -------------- ¶7. USAID's Administrator has tasked USAID Mission Directors with providing their regional bureau with a rapid assessment survey outlining the host country's preparedness to respond to Avian an Pandemic Influenza and a principal point of contact. In USAID Yemen, Dr. Ahmed Attieg, Senior Health Advisor has been designat as the POC and responsible for responding the survey requirement who will remain in close contact with the Ministries of Health a Agriculture as well as the Disease Surveillance Unit. ¶8. A meeting with all donors has been requested by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MOPIC) for October 26 2005 to discuss the emergency action plan for Avian Flu and to seek USD $2.6 million to fund it. ¶9. On October 23, 2005, Post USAID Agriculture office received an official letter of request for assistance. This request did not specify an amount of funding required but areas of need. Clarification of the need and specific actions has been requeste by USAID from MAI. ¶10. COMMENT: Until Post receives Parliament's approved plan to respond to the Avian Flu influenza as well as a clarification of Yemen's needs by MOI, we are unable to assess what Yemen's requirements are or how best to work with them in developing the overall strategy and response should an incident occur. As to t Deputy Minister's stated willingness for Yemen to join IPAPI, it is doubtful that he has the authority to express the ROYG's intent, in this regard. KRAJESKI