COLOMBIA: AVIAN FLU CONTINGENCY PLANNING AND

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001086

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EXECSEC
STATE FOR S/ES-O/CMS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO SENV ECON EAGER EAID PREL KFLU PGOV CO
SUBJECT: COLOMBIA: AVIAN FLU CONTINGENCY PLANNING AND
TRIPWIRES

REF: A. 05 STATE 219189

B. 05 BOGOTA 10967

Sensitive but unclassified; not for internet distribution.


1. (U) As requested in Ref A, post's avian influenza (AI)
committee has begun to develop preparedness measures against
AI, including AI-specific tripwires. For a comprehensive
assessment of Colombia's AI preparedness, see Ref B.

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Post Avian Influenza Committee
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2. (U) Post's AI committee is chaired by the DCM and
composed of representatives of the following sections:
Management (including the Medical Unit),AID, RSO, FAS
(including APHIS),CONS (including ACS),PAS and POL. The AI
committee meets monthly to discuss post preparedness, as well
as efforts to assist the GOC in its avian flu preparedness.
Post has designated Political Officer Emily Fisher
(FisherES2@state.gov) and Foreign Service Health Practitioner
Sharon Swain (SwainSE@state.gov) as primary Mission points of
contact for avian influenza.

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Post's Preparedness Actions
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3. (SBU) To date, the Embassy has taken the following
actions:

-- Assessed inventory of Personal Protective Equipment and
Tamiflu. Post anticipates a delivery of Tamiflu from MED by
the end of February.

-- Identified staff with medical backgrounds.

-- Posted general AI information on the Embassy's public
website.

-- Engaged the GOC on response strategy and health care
capabilities. Post has been in contact with relevant GOC
ministries since October 2005 (Ref B).


4. (SBU) Other preparedness actions in paragraph 8, Ref A,
are in process or under discussion, including a Mission-wide
briefing for both American and LES employees and dependents,
scheduled for the end of February to discuss general avian
flu information, MED guidance and post's contingency plans.
Post also is identifying essential personnel and staff with
medical conditions who may need to depart if authorized. The
AI committee will consider other preparedness actions at
subsequent meetings.

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Avian Flu Tripwires
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5. (SBU) Post published AI-specific tripwires and responses
on the Tripwire Reporting and Integrated Planning System
(TRIPS) on the classified network (Ref A). At the most
recent AI committee meeting, the committee began assessing
contingency plans in the event that shelter in place and/or
drawdown of personnel are not possible, safe or medically
advisable. Post will provide more information, and include
AI-specific tripwires for possible drawdown requests and
shelter in place plans, when these contingency plans are
finalized.


6. (U) The following two officers are responsible for the
input of tripwire and response data and future updates:

NAME: Ron Packowitz
TITLE: ACS Chief
CLEARANCE LEVEL: Top Secret
WORK PHONE NUMBER: (571) 383-2811
EMAIL ADDRESSES: PackowitzRS@state.gov (unclass);
PackowitzRS@state.sgov.gov (class)

NAME: Raymond Baroni
TITLE: Assistant RSO

CLEARANCE LEVEL: Top Secret
WORK PHONE NUMBER: (571) 383-2759
EMAIL ADDRESSES: BaroniRM@state.gov (unclass);
BaroniRM@state.sgov.gov (class)
WOOD