Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ASHGABAT385
2006-04-14 09:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:  

WHO EXPERTS ASSIST IN TURKMENISTAN'S

Tags:  EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3414
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0385 1040914
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140914Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7194
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2540
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1621
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1270
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1160
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0341
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-2/REA/NMJIC-J2//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J5/RUE//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2/HSE/CCJ5//
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000385 

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: WHO EXPERTS ASSIST IN TURKMENISTAN'S
PREPAREDNESS FOR AI

REFTEL: A) ASHGABAT 361 AND PREVIOUS

B) 05 STATE 153802

Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000385

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: WHO EXPERTS ASSIST IN TURKMENISTAN'S
PREPAREDNESS FOR AI

REFTEL: A) ASHGABAT 361 AND PREVIOUS

B) 05 STATE 153802

Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (U) PER REFTEL B, POST PROVIDES A WEEKLY FOLLOW-UP
ON AVIAN INFLUENZA. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL
INDUSTRY (MOHMI) AND THE WHO CO-SPONSORED A SEMINAR ON
LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS AND THE PREVENTION OF AVIAN FLU
APRIL 4-7. THE SEMINAR GATHERED OVER 100 PARTICIPANTS,
INCLUDING EMPLOYEES OF THE NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SECTOR,
SPECIALISTS ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND
SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM VARIOUS MINISTRIES AND AGENCIES,
WHICH ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE NATIONAL AI
PREVENTION PLAN. END SUMMARY.

WHO EXPERTS PRAISE TURKMENISTAN'S HEALTH PROGRAM?
-------------- --------------


2. (U) WHO EXPERTS NICOLAS FINN, CLAIRE KILPATRICK, AND
ELLISON BIRMINGHAM HELD A TEACHING SEMINAR ON AI AND
PANDEMIC FLU BASED ON THE UNITED KINGDOM EXPERIENCE, AND
ALSO VISITED THE NATIONAL VETERINARY LABORATORY DURING
THE APRIL 4-7 AI SEMINAR. IN THEIR APRIL 10 INTERVIEW TO
THE NEUTRALNYI TURKMENISTAN STATE NEWSPAPER, THE EXPERTS
SAID THAT PREVENTIVE MEASURES, CARRIED OUT UNDER THE
GOTX'S HEALTH PROGRAM, SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE RISK OF
AVIAN FLU IN TURKMENISTAN. EXPERT BIRMINGHAM SAID THAT
SHE WAS PLEASED WITH SOME LABORATORY SETS AND GAVE
UNSPECIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE NATIONAL AI REFERENCE
LABORATORY STAFF. THE EXPERTS SAID THEY WERE IMPRESSED
BY TURKMENISTAN'S MODERN MEDICAL CENTERS AND EXPRESSED
HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT
PRESIDENT NIYAZOV'S AMBITIOUS HEALTH PROGRAM.

WHO'S REAL MISSION
--------------


3. (SBU) ACCORDING TO USAID'S HEALTH SPECIALIST WHO MET
WITH THE WHO EXPERTS ON APRIL 11, THE PURPOSE OF THE WHO
TRIP WAS TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT OF TURKMENISTAN'S AI
RESPONSE. THE TEAM INTENDED TO VISIT AI REFERENCE
LABORATORIES, AND MEET WITH LOCAL EXPERTS AND
INTERNATIONAL DONORS; HOWEVER, THE MOHMI TURNED THEIR
PROGRAM INTO A TEACHING SEMINAR.

GOTX ATTENDS INTERNATIONAL AI CONFERENCE
--------------


4. (U) On April 12, The United Nations Regional
Information Networks (IRIN),a humanitarian news agency
covering sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and Iraq,
reported from Ankara that Turkmenistan will attend an
international conference on regional cooperation in
fighting bird flu, scheduled for June 12-13 in Almaty.

Comment
--------------


5. (SBU) Post is disheartened that the GOTX continues
to play games with the threat and prevention of AI.
Misrepresenting WHO activities and most likely misquoting
the experts in the newspapers, does nothing to inspire
confidence among concerned parties that the GOTX is
taking adequate action. End Comment.

JACOBSON