OFFICIALS UPDATE VISITING FAS REPS ON AI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000604 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA; USDA FOR FAS/PECAD, FAS/CNMP, FAS/AAD, APHIS; BANGKOK FOR USAID (JOHN MACARTHUR),APHIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID AMED PGOV PREL CASC TBIO KFLU BM SUBJECT: OFFICIALS UPDATE VISITING FAS REPS ON AI REF: RANGOON 459 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: During an introductory visit, APHIS Area Director Ned Cardenas and FAS Agricultural Attache Russ Nicely received an open, thorough update from Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) officials about current GOB efforts to contain the recent Avian Influenza outbreak. LBVD confirmed that it lifted official controls on poultry transport and sale in previously affected townships. The Director General and his staff outlined LBVD priorities in addressing AI in animals: virus eradication, prevention of transmission between species, awareness raising, active and passive surveillance, and regular testing. LBVD authorities requested international assistance for regional training opportunities, farmer compensation, improvement of food processing practices, education, and local production of protective gear. LBVD officials candidly admitted difficulties, including their lack of good information from outside the country and from other parts of Burma. The DG expressed appreciation for USG attention and potential training opportunities. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) LBVD Director General Maung Maung Nyunt, his deputy, and four directors met with Ned Cardenas, new APHIS Area Director, Russ Nicely, Bangkok Agricultural Attache and Econoff on May 1, a Burmese holiday. The DG told us that Burma had entered the second stage of the GOB's AI action plan: control after an outbreak. He outlined current LBVD goals, including: eradication of the existing virus; prevention of transmission between species; awareness raising and education; active and passive surveillance, including development of a schedule for continuous testing of birds. He reported that authorities destroyed 233,700 chickens, 166,965 quail and 141,535 eggs in Mandalay Division, and 93,184 chickens, 150,340 quail and 23,795 eggs in Sagaing Division. According to his calculations, the financial loss from culled and sick birds was between $330,000 and $660,000. The outbreak affected 542 households engaged in raising poultry. Authorities suspect that the infection began in the Shwebo region of Sagaing Division. They discussed Burma's vulnerability from infected chicks carried across its long, largely unmonitored borders with China, Bangladesh and India. ¶3. (SBU) Maung Maung Nyunt said the GOB gave LBVD overall responsibility for AI disease control, surveillance, protection and eradication. He also said that the GOB established Bird Flu Steering Committees in the two affected divisions chaired by the divisional SPDC leader, and comprised of representatives from LBVD, the Livestock Federation, Health Department, GOB laboratory personnel and municipal authorities. Townships have Bird Flu Control Committees with LBVD, Health Department, Development Affairs Committee, and Livestock Federation members. The authorities lifted the ban on transport and sale of poultry in Mandalay and Sagaing Divisions on April 28, he said, because authorities knew of no new cases of AI in birds after April ¶5. ¶4. (SBU) Responding to Dr. Cardenas' inquiry about LBVD's needs, the DG asked about regional training opportunities; assistance with rehabilitation and compensation of affected farmers; help in restructuring the food processing system, including cold chain, cooking, storage, and other meat handling techniques; education of farmers on best practices; and help to establish local production of personal protective equipment. Maung Maung Nyunt said GOB officials felt it was the government's responsibility to compensate affected farmers. Options LBVD is considering include loans from the Livestock and Fisheries Development Bank, at a monthly interest rate of 1.2%, and the establishment of new livestock/chicken zones, built away from human residences. The GOB would then supply chicks from the FAO animal bank, and enough feed for one or two months. ¶5. (SBU) LBVD sees a need for stricter food safety practices in the chicken industry, including a system to control the movement of poultry products, and enhanced food security. LBVD officials plan roundtable discussions with farmers to educate, to gain cooperation, and to hear feedback about possible remediation efforts. Cooperation with FAO was key to LBVD efforts, he said, so he seconded a veterinarian from the field to work in the Rangoon FAO office full time. ¶6. (SBU) LBVD reps enthusiastically recounted their interactions with Dr. John MacArthur from USAID Bangkok (whose visits are also mentioned in daily AI updates in official media),and were equally open with the FAS visitors, even acknowledging that the Embassy's FAS local staff member frequently knew more than they did about what is going on inside the country. Dr. Cardenas said that APHIS plans to hire a local employee at the embassy to work on AI issues, and the DG committed the cooperation of his Department. At a later private meeting, officials acknowledged that they expected to see another outbreak during the upcoming rainy season because GOB authorities have not enforced biosafety protocols. ¶7. (SBU) Comment: Although the initial AI outbreak in Burma seems under control, GOB officials at the technical level welcome foreign assistance to prepare for future outbreaks. Political will to control any outbreak exists at these lower levels, but commitment by the top leaders, including stricter enforcement and allocation of resources, is not evident. Burma's ability to handle another outbreak will require continued technical advice and support from FAO and WHO. In addition, APHIS proposes to hire an additional local staff with a veterinary background. This employee would assure we had more complete information about AI developments in Burma and GOB actions, as well as support FAO efforts to combat AI in animals. End Comment. VILLAROSA