NIYAZOV ORDERS WEEKLY UPDATES ON AI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000270 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY) ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR JAMES HIGGISTON TASHKENT FOR ESTH (PUTNAM) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX SUBJECT: NIYAZOV ORDERS WEEKLY UPDATES ON AI REFTEL: A) ASHGABAT 253 B) ASHGABAT 173 AND PREVIOUS C) STATE 153802 Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution ¶1. (U) PER REFTEL C, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP ON AVIAN INFLUENZA. MINISTER REPORTS TO PRESIDENT -------------- ¶2. (U) AT THE MARCH 3 CABINET MEETING, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE CABINET OF MINISTERS AND MINISTER OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY (MOHMI) GURBANGULY BERDIMUHAMMEDOV REPORTED TO THE PRESIDENT ON THE GOTX'S STEPS TO PREVENT AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI). TURKMENISTAN'S PROGRAM INCLUDES STRICT CUSTOMS AND BORDER CONTROL, EPIDEMIC AND VETERINARY SANCTIONS AGAINST AI-AFFECTED COUNTRIES, AND THE ACQUISITION OF 1,000 DOSES OF TAMIFLU AND OTHER PROTECTIVE AGENTS. HE SAID THAT THE MEANS TO DIAGNOSE AI IS AVAILABLE ON BOTH THE NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL LEVELS. "TURKMENISTAN IS AI-FREE COUNTRY" -------------- ¶3. (U) THE MINISTER REPORTED THAT 10-15 MILLION MIGRATORY FOWL TRANSIT TURKMENISTAN IN SPRING. TO PREVENT HUMAN AND POULTRY CONTACTS WITH THE MIGRANT BIRDS, THE GOTX HAS DEVELOPED AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, INTRODUCED A TEMPORARY HUNTING BAN AND SET TIGHT CONTROL OVER WATER RESERVOIRS AND POULTRY FARMS. BERDIMUHAMMEDOV EXPLAINED THAT DUE TO ITS CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, TURKMENISTAN IS A LOW RISK COUNTRY FOR AI AND REASSURED THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY'S CURRENT AI-FREE STATUS. NIYAZOV ORDERED THAT BERDIMUHAMMEDOV PROVIDE HIM WEEKLY UPDATES. APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE TO UN -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On March 3, 2006 the MOHMI sent a letter to UN Resident Coordinator Richard Young asking for support from UN agencies in providing 4,000 protective suits for medical staff exposed to avian flu samples during testing, five four-wheel drive vehicles for delivering samples to the National Reference Lab, two laboratory luminescent microscopes, lab reagents and test systems, two trainings for 70 epidemiologists and two trainings for 40 lab specialists. International AI Thematic Group Meets -------------- ¶5. (SBU) On March 6, the UN Avian Flu Thematic Group, which includes a USAID representative, gathered at the UN Building and discussed possible assistance in response to the letter addressed to the UN. The collective decision was to help the MOHMI draft a proposal for assistance, which would detail how the requested funds would be used and monitored. ¶6. (SBU) The WHO Liaison for Turkmenistan visited the State Veterinarian Service and discussed its lab capabilities in diagnosing avian flu. Currently all samples from dead birds in Turkmenistan are tested there. So far, not a single tested sample has been determined to be infected. ONE possible explanation for the negative results is that samples are often transported to the lab only after significant delays and in conditions that could allow for degradation of the virus to undetectable levels. ¶7. (SBU) The WHO office received five containers to be ASHGABAT 00000270 002 OF 002 used for the transportation of potentially infected birds to reference labs in Europe for confirmation. Lufthansa has agreed to transport samples for testing. COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (SBU) THE HIGH PROFILE NATURE OF BERDIMUHAMMEDOV'S FIRST PUBLIC REPORT PROBABLY WAS INTENDED TO AVERT OR DISPEL RUMORS. NEVERTHELESS, THE MINISTER OVERSTATED THE GOTX LEVEL OF READINESS AND RESPONSE. FOR INSTANCE, PROVINCIAL LABORATORIES ARE STILL NOT CAPABLE OF AI DIAGNOSING AND THE NATIONAL LABS CURRENTLY HAVE ONLY SIX TESTS KITS, ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE VIROLOGICAL LABORATORY AT THE STATE VETERINARY SERVICE. THE "EXTENSIVE PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN" IS LIMITED TO A POULTRY BAN AT FOOD MARKETS AND INFORMATIONAL FLIERS AT SELECTED LOCATIONS. END COMMENT. JACOBSON