VIETNAM - APRIL 20 AVIAN INFLUENZA REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000916

SIPDIS

STATE FOR G, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, EAP/EX, EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR,
OES/STC (PBATES),OES/IHA (DSINGER AND NCOMELLA),AND MED
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCARROLL, SCLEMENTS AND
PCHAPLIN)
STATE PASS TO USTR (EBRYAN)
STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER, EELVANDER AND ABHAT)
USDA PASS TO APHIS
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN)
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID (MFRIEDMAN, JMACARTHUR AND
MBRADY)
ROME FOR FAO

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR SOCI VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM - APRIL 20 AVIAN INFLUENZA REPORT

HANOI 00000916 001.20 OF 003


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - DO NOT POST ON INTERNET

REF: HANOI 685 AND PREVIOUS


1. (SBU) Summary. Despite the fact that the Government of
Vietnam (GVN) does not have a BLS-3 laboratory, a credible
source indicates that two animal health laboratories in
Vietnam have been isolating the H5N1 virus. The Vice
Director of the Ministry of Health's Drug Administration has
confirmed that an agreement was signed with Roche in
December 2005 with respect to Tamiflu. On April 12, the GVN
held a consultation meeting on the first draft of the Avian
Influenza (AI) National Integrated Operational Work Program,
dubbed "the Green Book." A joint donor assessment mission,
including nearly 30 international technical advisors, began
work this week. Results of the joint assessment will be
incorporated into the Green Book, which the GVN plans to
present at the APEC AI Ministerial meeting held May 4-5 in
Danang. State media reported that the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Cao Duc Phat plans
to discuss with Chinese officials measures to prevent
poultry smuggling from China into Vietnam. Post's AI
Working Group is developing a computerized AI surveillance
database that will capture medical information for Mission
staff with suspected AI. There have been no new human AI
deaths since late October 2005 and no human cases since mid-
November 2005. The GVN continues to report no AI outbreaks
in poultry since the last reported incident on December 17,

2005. End Summary.


2. (SBU) David Krueger, a microbiologist from the
University of Wisconsin, has been working with MARD's
Departments of Animal Health (DAH) laboratories in southern
Vietnam to establish an effective real-time (RT) PCR
diagnostic system. Over the past month, he has conducted
several trainings to establish quality control protocols and
provided detailed recommendations to the DAH's Regional
Animal Health Center's laboratories in HCMC, Can Tho and
Danang. The recommendations highlight the need to conduct
periodic proficiency and efficiency trainings and
evaluations; to ensure that equipment and supply purchases,
especially those donated by aid agencies, are selected by
local partners and take into account user friendliness and
cost-efficiency, particularly good local supply chains and
technical support; and to consider migrating over to one
cost-efficient RT-PCR platform, namely Biorad iQ5.


3. (SBU) In an outbrief to the Agriculture Attache, Health
Attache, ESTHOff, and USAID Regional AI Advisor, Mr. Krueger
reported that two DAH laboratories - the National Veterinary
Diagnostic Center in Hanoi and the Regional Animal Health
Center in HCMC - have been isolating the H5N1 virus, despite
the fact that neither facility meets BLS-3 standards for bio-
safety protocols. (Note: The GVN does not currently operate
any BLS-3 laboratories, although the Japanese Government
plans to build a USD 8 million BSL-3 facility at the
National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi.
Oxford University operates the only BLS-3 laboratory in
Vietnam, which conducts research for commercial applications
in HCMC. End Note.)


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4. (SBU) The Vice Director of the Ministry of Health's Drug
Administration confirmed to the Health Attache that the Drug
Administration signed an agreement with Roche in December
2005 with respect to Tamiflu. The agreement specifically
states that Roche will provide Tamiflu tablets to Vietnam.
The GVN has requested approximately 20 million tablets from
Roche. In addition, Roche will provide raw materials to the
GVN for the production of oseltamivir in addition to
providing technical assistance and plant inspections.
However, in part because AI appears under control in
Vietnam, implementation of oseltamavir production is lagging
behind schedule.


5. (U) On April 12, MARD Minister Cao Duc Phat hosted a
consultation meeting on the first draft of the AI National
Integrated Operational Work Program, dubbed "the Green
Book," which is a medium-term AI control and human pandemic
response plan for 2006-2008. A joint donor assessment
mission, including nearly 30 international technical
advisors, began work this week. Results of the joint
assessment will be incorporated into the Green Book, which
the GVN plans to present at the APEC AI Ministerial meeting
held May 4-5 in Danang.

6. (U) State media reported that the Minister Phat plans to
discuss with officials from the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi
measures to prevent poultry smuggling from China into
Vietnam. These reports also quoted the Head of the National
Institute of Animal Health Truong Van Dung, stating that 16
out of 38 blood samples taken from illegally imported
chicken seized at the Mong Cai border gate in northern Quang
Ninh province have tested positive for the H5 virus.
Previously, some of the 30 samples of poultry seized in
northern Lang Song province also tested positive for H5
virus.

7. (U) In late March, the media reported that local
authorities slaughtered 160 chicken and ducks at three farms
in Cao Bang province, a border province with China after
testing positive for H5. The report further states that no
tests were performed to confirm if the virus was the H5N1
strain. Meanwhile, the GVN has not budged from their
official position that Vietnam remains AI-free in 2006.

8. (SBU) Post's AI Working Group is developing a
computerized AI surveillance database that will capture
medical information for Mission staff with suspected AI.
The information will follow the patient through the course
of the illness, reporting their symptoms, signs, treatment
and outcome. It will also include the information needed by
MED/Washington, HHS, CDC, WHO and others.

9. (U) As of April 21, 2006:

-- No human AI deaths since October 29, 2005
-- No human AI cases since November 14, 2005 (Note: This GVN
official date is five days later than date previously
reported in reftel. End note.)
-- No AI outbreaks in poultry since the last reported
incident on Dec. 17, 2005 in Cao Bang Province


10. (U) A snapshot of other AI statistics includes:
-- Eight million households were estimated to be engaged in
poultry production prior to 2003
-- The total poultry population stands at nearly 220

HANOI 00000916 003.22 OF 003


million.
-- Over 51 million birds have been culled from December
2003 to December 2005.
-- During October 2005 through January 2006, 246 million
vaccine doses were administered during the first national
poultry vaccination campaign, including 166.9 million
chickens and 78.5 million ducks. Most birds received two
vaccinations.
-- Since February 2006, 33 million poultry in 30 cities and
provinces have been vaccinated as part of the second
national vaccination campaign.
-- Approximately USD 50 million was committed to AI
activities in Vietnam by the end of 2005.
-- The USG is one of the largest AI donors in Vietnam,
contributing USD 24 million in FY-2006 alone.

Marine