AVIAN FLU: WHO SHARES ASSESSMENT RESULTS; WORLD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000528 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: AVIAN FLU: WHO SHARES ASSESSMENT RESULTS; WORLD BANK TO ASSIST GOTX REFTEL: A) ASHGABAT 385 AND PREVIOUS B) 05 STATE 153802 Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS ASSESSMENT TEAM VISITED ASHGABAT APRIL 2-14 TO CONDUCT TWO SEMINARS AND ASSESS AI PREPAREDNESS AT GOTX FACILITIES. THE ASSESSMENT TEAM'S UNPUBLISHED FINDINGS, RELAYED TO EMBASSY STAFF BY WHO'S LIAISON OFFICER IN ASHGABAT, WERE THAT OBSERVED HOSPITAL STAFF HAD INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF INFECTION CONTROL TECHNIQUES, AND OBSERVED LABORATORY PERSONNEL HAD POOR UNDERSTANDING OF BIOSAFETY NORMS AND INADEQUATE SAMPLE STORAGE EQUIPMENT. THE ASSESSMENT TEAM ALSO MET WITH DEPUTY CHAIRMAN FOR EDUCATION, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND CULTURE BERDIMUHAMMEDOV, WHO REQUESTED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR AI PREPAREDNESS. BERDIMUHAMMEDOV THEN PASSED FOR CONSIDERATION A $1 MILLION WHO AND UNICEF-DRAFTED ASSISTANCE PROPOSAL TO THE WORLD BANK RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE. BOTH SIDES REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL AT A MAY 12 MEETING, AND THE WORLD BANK AGREED TO SEND A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ASSESSMENT TEAM TO TURKMENISTAN. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) A WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS ASSESSMENT TEAM VISITED ASHGABAT APRIL 2-14 TO CONDUCT TWO SEMINARS AND ASSESS AI PREPAREDNESS AT GOTX FACILITIES. THE SEMINARS WERE ON ANIMAL-HUMAN INTERFACE FOR VETERINARY AND MEDICAL SERVICE EPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND ON INFECTION CONTROLS FOR NURSES. WHILE THE ASSESSMENT TEAM HAS NOT YET RELEASED ITS REPORT, THE WHO'S LIAISON OFFICER IN ASHGABAT REPORTED TO EMBASSY STAFF THE TEAM'S CORE FINDINGS: -- THE TEAM REVIEWED INFECTION TRANSMISSION CONTROLS IN ASHGABAT'S INFECTIOUS DISEASE HOSPITAL AND FOUND THAT STAFF HAD INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION OF THE INFECTION FROM INFECTED PATIENTS. THE TEAM RECOMMENDED TRAINING TO CORRECT THIS KNOWLEDGE GAP. -- THE TEAM ASSESSED TWO LABS -- ONE AT THE VETERINARY SERVICE AND ONE AT THE ASHGABAT SANITARY AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SERVICE OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (MOH). THE TEAM FOUND THAT MOH HAD PURCHASED POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) EQUIPMENT TO DIAGNOSE AI, BUT HAD NOT TRAINED THE LAB'S STAFF ON HOW TO USE THE EQUIPMENT. BOTH LABS HAD NEITHER BIOSAFETY CABINETS NOR REFRIGERATORS RATED TO -20 DEGREES CELSIUS, WHICH ARE NEEDED TO PROPERLY STORE AI SAMPLES. THE STAFF'S UNDERSTANDING OF BIOSAFETY WAS VERY LOW, ACCORDING TO THE TEAM, AND STAFF DID NOT OBSERVE NECESSARY BIOSAFETY PRECAUTIONS. -- THE MISSION ALSO VISITED A PRIVATE COMMERCIAL CHICKEN EGG FARM IN THE ASHGABAT SUBURB OF USHELYE. THE TEAM FOUND THAT THE FARM POSSESSED HIGH-TECH, MODERN EQUIPMENT, STRONG VETERINARY CONTROLS, AND ALL REQUIRED PROTECTIVE GEAR (ROBES, SHOE COVERS AND MASKS). (NOTE: THE USHELYE FARM MAY BE ONE BELONGING TO PRESIDENT NIYAZOV. POST EXPECTS THAT OTHER EGG FARMS ARE LESS WELL- EQUIPPED AND HAVE POORER VETERINARY CONTROLS. END NOTE.) ¶3. (SBU) THE TEAM ALSO MET WITH DEPUTY CHAIRMAN FOR EDUCATION, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND CULTURE GURBANGULY BERDIMUHAMMEDOV TO PRESENT RECOMMENDATIONS ON IMPROVING GOTX AI PREPAREDNESS. BERDIMUHAMMEDOV AGREED WITH THE TEAM'S RECOMMENDATIONS, ACCORDING TO THE WHO LIAISON OFFICER, BUT SAID THE GOTX REQUIRED ADDITIONAL FUNDS. HE ASHGABAT 00000528 002 OF 002 ASKED THE LOCAL UNITED NATIONS AI COORDINATION GROUP TO DRAFT A GOTX PROPOSAL FOR ADDITIONAL WORLD BANK ASSISTANCE. BERDIMUHAMEDOV THEN SIGNED AND PASSED THE WHO- AND UNICEF-DRAFTED PROPOSAL TO THE UN RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE. ¶4. (SBU) BERDIMUHAMMEDOV AND THE WORLD BANK REPRESENTATIVE IN TURKMENISTAN MET ON MAY 12 TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL AND ALLOCATION OF ABOUT $1 MILLION FOR TURKMENISTAN'S AI PREPAREDNESS. BASED ON THE DISCUSSIONS, THE WORLD BANK WILL SEND A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ASSESSMENT TEAM TO HELP GOTX BETTER UNDERSTAND ITS AI PREVENTION AND RESPONSE NEEDS. BRUSH