NEPAL: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE FOR MAY

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001377 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INS, OES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAGR EAID KSCA SOCI TBIO PREL WHO NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE FOR MAY REFS: A. KATHMANDU 927 ¶B. KATHMANDU 744 WORLD BANK PLANS TO SUPPORT NEPAL'S AVIAN FLU PREPAREDNESS -------------- ¶1. (SBU) At the May 24 meeting of Post's avian influenza working group chaired by the A/DCM, Emboff reported that a World Bank (WB) "pre-appraisal" mission (team) decided in April to use USD 10-15 million of their normal annual assistance to Nepal to fund a three-year project to support the Government of Nepal's (GON) avian influenza (AI) preparedness plan (ref A). The project will include comprehensive assistance for both animal and human surveillance and control. The WB expects to use the funds for some combination of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) viral specificity testing materials, compensation for culled birds, and/or construction of a bio-safety laboratory. The WB and GON plan to work out the final details of the project. HUMAN FLU TESTING PROJECT TO BEGIN IN JUNE -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In June 2006, Post will begin a cooperative project with the health unit of Embassy Bangkok and the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Science (AFRIMS) in Bangkok to do laboratory diagnostic testing of samples from human patients in Nepal who exhibit flu-like symptoms. The Department of Defense (DOD) will fund this USD 500,000 project (ref B),which will allow the testing to take only two to three days instead of two to three weeks. FIRST SHIPMENT OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT ARRIVES -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) In April 2006, the Ministry of Agriculture formally requested 2,000 sets of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from USAID/Nepal (ref A). The first 500 sets of PPE recently arrived and are waiting customs clearance at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. BRIEF GON REPORTING LAPSE, BUT STILL NO AI CASES -------------- --- ¶4. (SBU) While GON surveillance reporting lapsed during the April 6-24 civil unrest, it is now back in place. There have been no confirmed cases of AI in Nepal. NEPALI DOCTOR PARTICIPATES IN USDA TRAINING -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Post coordinated travel arrangements for Dr. Rebati Man Shrestha, Chief, Central Veterinary Laboratory, who participated in a USDA-funded Avian Influenza Diagnostic Training Course in Ames, Iowa, May 15-19. Shrestha expressed his deep appreciation for the training. He noted that learning about real-time PCR testing was the most beneficial part of the training. Shrestha lamented however, that Nepal did not have the technology to do real- time PCR testing. He reported that he had learned that AI testing methods used in Nepal were good, although Nepal used different re-agents. COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Due to civil unrest in April and the lack of new AI cases in neighboring India, AI was not in the Nepali media spotlight during April and May. MORIARTY