Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU2524
2006-09-15 10:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
NEPAL: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE
how-toVZCZCXYZ1459 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHKT #2524/01 2581048 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 151048Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3159 INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0233 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0152 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 3003 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 5004 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4775 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4404
UNCLAS KATHMANDU 002524
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, OES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSCA SOCI PREL WHO NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE
REFS: A. KATHMANDU 927
B. KATHMANDU 744
c. KATHMANDU 115971
D. KATHMANDU 1377
E. KATHMANDU 486
SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS KATHMANDU 002524
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, OES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSCA SOCI PREL WHO NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE
REFS: A. KATHMANDU 927
B. KATHMANDU 744
c. KATHMANDU 115971
D. KATHMANDU 1377
E. KATHMANDU 486
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) On September 13, the DCM chaired a meeting of
Post's avian influenza working group. There have still
been no confirmed human or bird cases of avian influenza
(AI) in Nepal. The Embassy website is updated with the
latest AI fact sheet and the country team has distributed
pandemic influenza Video Compact Discs (VCD). The
government of Nepal (GON) recently submitted its final
operational plan to the World Bank (WB) for approximately
USD 15 million in AI program funding over three years.
This should lead to final discussions on WB funding for AI
preparedness in Nepal. Other USAID funding for AI
preparedness is being used for surveillance activities.
NO AI HUMAN OR BIRD CASES REPORTED
--------------
2. (SBU) On September 13 the DCM chaired a meeting of
Post's avian influenza working group, which noted that
there have still been no confirmed human or bird cases of
avian influenza (AI) in Nepal. The Ministry of
Agriculture has investigated several suspected AI
outbreaks in birds over the past few months and determined
none of them to be AI.
LATEST ON MISSION/AMCIT PREPARATION
--------------
3. (SBU) Medoff observed that the latest State avian
influenza fact sheet was clear that the Department would
not provide Tamiflu to Amcits (ref C). Conoff noted that
the new fact sheet was on the Embassy website. He added
that Post was not planning a town hall on AI at this time
to avoid creating unwanted panic.
4. (SBU) Post recently received 70 copies of the "Being
Prepared for Pandemic Influenza" VCD and the country team
distributed it to Mission employees. This VCD is not
copyrighted and is being reproduced at Post to be made
available to Amcits at the consular section.
5. (SBU) Post's health unit has received its shipment of
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to use in the event of
an outbreak and is storing it in pre-positioned strategic
locations.
WORLD BANK RECEIVES GON FINAL OPERATIONAL PLAN
-------------- -
6. (SBU) Plans for World Bank (WB) funding remain at the
"pre-appraisal" mission (team) stage (ref D). The
Government of Nepal (GON) submitted a final version of its
operational plan on AI to the WB during the week of
September 4. The plan is largely based on the GON's AI
preparedness plan that the former royal cabinet approved
in March 2006 (ref B). The WB is planning to fund
approximately USD 15 million for AI over three years. The
funds are to be used for activities covering human and
animal health sides of AI, to include surveillance,
communications, laboratory infrastructure, and a
compensation system for culled poultry. Further
negotiations between the GON and the WB are expected
during the coming weeks with an eye toward having WB money
available sooner than later.
OTHER AI PREPAREDNESS UPDATES
--------------
7. (SBU) Post received rapid test kits in July to
participate in the 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 (ref D).
USAID reports that the rapid test kits have limited
accuracy.
8. (SBU) FAO Nepal received USD 215,000 in USAID funds for
the GON's bird surveillance capabilities in July (ref A).
The World Health Organization (WHO) Nepal received USD
100,000 from USAID in July for development of a
surveillance system for Nepali health services to detect
human AI cases should they occur (ref E).
9. (SBU) Emboff recently raised with the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) Nepal and USAID the need
for funding for the GON to develop a mechanism to do
surveillance for small "backyard" poultry producers, which
are quite common in Nepal. Emboff noted that it took two
years for the government of Indonesia to develop proper
surveillance mechanisms after it realized that most of its
human AI cases were coming from backyard farms, not large
commercial poultry operations.
10. (SBU) USAID funded training for AI human preparedness
for the GON's Rapid Response Teams in late August.
11. (SBU) Of the 2,000 sets of PPE the Ministry of
Agriculture requested in April 2006 from USAID/Nepal, a
total of 1,500 units of PPE have arrived to date (ref D).
COMMENT
--------------
12. (SBU) Post will continue to hold monthly meetings of
its AI working group. We will monitor and seek
opportunities to guide and assist the GON in their AI
preparedness activities.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, OES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSCA SOCI PREL WHO NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE
REFS: A. KATHMANDU 927
B. KATHMANDU 744
c. KATHMANDU 115971
D. KATHMANDU 1377
E. KATHMANDU 486
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (SBU) On September 13, the DCM chaired a meeting of
Post's avian influenza working group. There have still
been no confirmed human or bird cases of avian influenza
(AI) in Nepal. The Embassy website is updated with the
latest AI fact sheet and the country team has distributed
pandemic influenza Video Compact Discs (VCD). The
government of Nepal (GON) recently submitted its final
operational plan to the World Bank (WB) for approximately
USD 15 million in AI program funding over three years.
This should lead to final discussions on WB funding for AI
preparedness in Nepal. Other USAID funding for AI
preparedness is being used for surveillance activities.
NO AI HUMAN OR BIRD CASES REPORTED
--------------
2. (SBU) On September 13 the DCM chaired a meeting of
Post's avian influenza working group, which noted that
there have still been no confirmed human or bird cases of
avian influenza (AI) in Nepal. The Ministry of
Agriculture has investigated several suspected AI
outbreaks in birds over the past few months and determined
none of them to be AI.
LATEST ON MISSION/AMCIT PREPARATION
--------------
3. (SBU) Medoff observed that the latest State avian
influenza fact sheet was clear that the Department would
not provide Tamiflu to Amcits (ref C). Conoff noted that
the new fact sheet was on the Embassy website. He added
that Post was not planning a town hall on AI at this time
to avoid creating unwanted panic.
4. (SBU) Post recently received 70 copies of the "Being
Prepared for Pandemic Influenza" VCD and the country team
distributed it to Mission employees. This VCD is not
copyrighted and is being reproduced at Post to be made
available to Amcits at the consular section.
5. (SBU) Post's health unit has received its shipment of
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to use in the event of
an outbreak and is storing it in pre-positioned strategic
locations.
WORLD BANK RECEIVES GON FINAL OPERATIONAL PLAN
-------------- -
6. (SBU) Plans for World Bank (WB) funding remain at the
"pre-appraisal" mission (team) stage (ref D). The
Government of Nepal (GON) submitted a final version of its
operational plan on AI to the WB during the week of
September 4. The plan is largely based on the GON's AI
preparedness plan that the former royal cabinet approved
in March 2006 (ref B). The WB is planning to fund
approximately USD 15 million for AI over three years. The
funds are to be used for activities covering human and
animal health sides of AI, to include surveillance,
communications, laboratory infrastructure, and a
compensation system for culled poultry. Further
negotiations between the GON and the WB are expected
during the coming weeks with an eye toward having WB money
available sooner than later.
OTHER AI PREPAREDNESS UPDATES
--------------
7. (SBU) Post received rapid test kits in July to
participate in the 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 (ref D).
USAID reports that the rapid test kits have limited
accuracy.
8. (SBU) FAO Nepal received USD 215,000 in USAID funds for
the GON's bird surveillance capabilities in July (ref A).
The World Health Organization (WHO) Nepal received USD
100,000 from USAID in July for development of a
surveillance system for Nepali health services to detect
human AI cases should they occur (ref E).
9. (SBU) Emboff recently raised with the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) Nepal and USAID the need
for funding for the GON to develop a mechanism to do
surveillance for small "backyard" poultry producers, which
are quite common in Nepal. Emboff noted that it took two
years for the government of Indonesia to develop proper
surveillance mechanisms after it realized that most of its
human AI cases were coming from backyard farms, not large
commercial poultry operations.
10. (SBU) USAID funded training for AI human preparedness
for the GON's Rapid Response Teams in late August.
11. (SBU) Of the 2,000 sets of PPE the Ministry of
Agriculture requested in April 2006 from USAID/Nepal, a
total of 1,500 units of PPE have arrived to date (ref D).
COMMENT
--------------
12. (SBU) Post will continue to hold monthly meetings of
its AI working group. We will monitor and seek
opportunities to guide and assist the GON in their AI
preparedness activities.
MORIARTY