Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ROME860
2006-03-17 16:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

AVIAN INFLUENZA: WEEKLY UPDATE ON FAO ACTIVITIES

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UNCLAS ROME 000860 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR IO/EDA, EUR/SE, EUR/WE, NEA/ENA, EA/SEA, OES/IHA
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS; GH/KHILL, DCARROLL
AND BZINNER; AFR/MHARVEY, ALOZANO; EGAT A/AA JSMITH;
ANE/ACLEMENTS, K/CRAWFORD; EGAT/AG JYAZMAN AND JTHOMAS
USDA FOR OSEC STUMP/PENN/LAMBERT/CAINE,
FAS PETTRIE/HUGHES/CLERKIN, APHIS CLIFFORD/HOFFMAN
DAKAR FOR USAID/OFDA/RDAVIS AND JSCICCHITANO
BAMAKO FOR USAID/WARP HBOTTEMBERG;
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID
HHS FOR OGHA (STEIGER)
BRUSSELS FOR USAID/PLERNER AND APHIS/PFERNANDEZ
PARIS FOR GCARNER
USEUCOM FOR ECJ4
VIENNA PASS APHIS
CAIRO PASS APHIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU EAGR EAID CASC SENV SOCI TBIO FAO WHO AVIAN INFLUENZA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: WEEKLY UPDATE ON FAO ACTIVITIES
#3 FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 17, 2006

REF: (A) 05 ROME 3949; (B) 05 ROME 3320; (C) 05 ROME 2979;

(D) 05 ROME 1142; (E) 05 ROME 3976; (F) 06 ROME 0087; (G) 06
ROME 0000 (sic); (H) 06 UN ROME 0315; (I) 06 UN ROME 0430;
(J) 06 UN ROME 0464; (K) 06 UN ROME 0626; (L) UN ROME 0678;
(M) 06 UN ROME 0766

Sensitive but unclassified - please protect accordingly.

UNCLAS ROME 000860

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR IO/EDA, EUR/SE, EUR/WE, NEA/ENA, EA/SEA, OES/IHA
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS; GH/KHILL, DCARROLL
AND BZINNER; AFR/MHARVEY, ALOZANO; EGAT A/AA JSMITH;
ANE/ACLEMENTS, K/CRAWFORD; EGAT/AG JYAZMAN AND JTHOMAS
USDA FOR OSEC STUMP/PENN/LAMBERT/CAINE,
FAS PETTRIE/HUGHES/CLERKIN, APHIS CLIFFORD/HOFFMAN
DAKAR FOR USAID/OFDA/RDAVIS AND JSCICCHITANO
BAMAKO FOR USAID/WARP HBOTTEMBERG;
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID
HHS FOR OGHA (STEIGER)
BRUSSELS FOR USAID/PLERNER AND APHIS/PFERNANDEZ
PARIS FOR GCARNER
USEUCOM FOR ECJ4
VIENNA PASS APHIS
CAIRO PASS APHIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU EAGR EAID CASC SENV SOCI TBIO FAO WHO AVIAN INFLUENZA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: WEEKLY UPDATE ON FAO ACTIVITIES
#3 FOR THE WEEK ENDING MARCH 17, 2006

REF: (A) 05 ROME 3949; (B) 05 ROME 3320; (C) 05 ROME 2979;

(D) 05 ROME 1142; (E) 05 ROME 3976; (F) 06 ROME 0087; (G) 06
ROME 0000 (sic); (H) 06 UN ROME 0315; (I) 06 UN ROME 0430;
(J) 06 UN ROME 0464; (K) 06 UN ROME 0626; (L) UN ROME 0678;
(M) 06 UN ROME 0766

Sensitive but unclassified - please protect accordingly.


1. (SBU) Summary: On March 16, USMISSION UN ROME staff met
with various members of FAO's Animal Production and Health
Division (AGA) and Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation
Division (TCE) for an update on Avian Influenza (AI)
operations worldwide as well specific country programs.
Much of this information has not yet been released publicly
nor has it been officially verified; it should be protected
accordingly. Staff reported that:

-- Azerbaijan: HPAI has been confirmed in swans in four
locations on the Caspian Sea, and in domesticated poultry in
four commercial farms. The Government of Azerbaijan
reported to FAO that humans who contracted the disease did
so from illegal hunting and eating wild swans. Isolates
from samples collected in Azerbaijan show a molecular
evolution. Cat and dog mortalities have also been reported,
with a confirmation of HPAI in one dog. An FAO
representative is in country to conduct a preliminary
assessment in preparation for an international mission

comprised of the European Commission, OIE and FAO;

-- Nigeria: In order to avoid any internal control or
influence by the Government, a Nigerian national based in
Rome has been recruited to work as an FAO international
consultant;

-- Niger: A "sanitary" border between Niger and Nigeria is
being established. Nigerians have bought poultry from Jema
village in Niger; and

-- Recruitment of International Staff and Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE): FAO is in the process of
finalizing the recruitment of 13 additional staff to be
deployed internationally. FAO also reported that its PPE
kit is sized for 500 persons and one kit has been ordered
for 65 countries, but has been experiencing delivery delays.
End Summary

--------------
Azerbaijan
--------------


2. (SBU) FAO animal health experts in confidence provided
us information not yet publicly released that, from March 13-
17, FAO's Ankara-based representative is in country to
conduct a preliminary assessment in preparation for next
week's fielding of a week-long international mission. The
Ankara-based representative has been working with the
Azerbaijani chief veterinary officer (CVO),national
veterinary service and related government ministries on
developing field assessments, risk analysis and determining
requisites for a national strategy. Initial feedback to
FAO/HQ indicates that there has been no real reporting of
poultry die offs, most likely due to the lack of
surveillance, the weakness for which can largely be
attributed to political factors between the Government of
Azerbaijan (GoA) and its poultry industry.


3. (SBU) FAO/HQ stated that the eastern part of Azerbaijan
is the most worrisome and will need to be systematically
surveyed. Unfortunately, the GoA was not proactive like
its neighbors Iraq and Iran, and its slow wake-up on the
need for active surveillance and collection of baseline data
triggered the exposure to humans, leading to multiple human
deaths. Moreover, FAO reported on disconcerting rumors
being tracked of cat as well as dog mortalities, and the
increasing evidence of changes in the viral genome that
facilitate transmission to other mammals, referring to a
comparative analysis of isolates collected from Azerbaijan
to those isolates retrieved in Turkey.

4. (SBU) According to FAO, the GoA has stated that humans
became infected by handling and eating dead/hunted
wildbirds. Samples taken from dead poultry in villages
where human deaths occurred were tested by PCR and turned
out to be negative for H5N1. National veterinary services
are now saying it is Newcastle disease.

5. (SBU) At present, HPAI has been confirmed in swans in
four locations on the Caspian Sea (Turkan, Balagary,
Garadakh, Khyurdalan),all situated on the Absheron
peninsula near Baku. HPAI has also been confirmed in
domestic poultry in four commercial farms: the first two in
Khizy District (one near Geyliazy village and the other in
Arko Co, which is a branch of the farm in Geyliazy); the
third in Belasuar District (Samedabad); and the fourth in
Fyziuli District. HPAI was also confirmed in a dead dog
found in the Binagadi area outside Baku. FAO reports that
the national veterinary service has imposed a quarantine and
is carrying out disinfection in infected premises.

6. (U) On March 20-24, FAO will join the OIE and the
European Commission on a joint rapid assessment mission to
Azerbaijan to provide emergency technical assistance as well
as technical requirements for planning a national animal
health strategy. The four-person mission will gather for
analysis information on active poultry foci. An
investigation into poultry industry practices will be made
part of the mission's terms of reference as well. USMISSION
UN ROME has suggested that FAO hold a donor debrief in Baku
upon completion of service.


7. (U) Beginning March 28, FAO plans to post a highly-
qualified Iranian veterinary/epidemiologist in Baku for an
initial five-month assignment. The expert, who previously
worked as the FAO CVO in Tehran, is known for his linguistic
skills, including several Caucasian dialects, and receives
high remarks for his diplomatic as well as trust-building
skills, both of which will be needed in Azerbaijan. FAO is
also examining the option of fielding its Turkey-based
virologist to Azerbaijan, but only if there is no disruption
or negative impact to ongoing activities in Turkey.


8. (U) Lastly, TCE is in the process of preparing a
regional proposal for the control of HPAI in the Caucasus.
The proposal will be prepared in a modular way so that
multiple donors can select funding a particular program of
interest.

--------------
Nigeria
--------------


9. (U) AGA staff reported that the Government of Nigeria
(GoN) has been sensitized to compensation for backyard
poultry farms. Two compensation systems are being
considered: on-the-spot compensation for smaller farms and
a voucher system for larger farms. Apparently, FAO is now
in the driver's seat on this issue (as compared to
previously when OIE and AU-IBAR were also competing) and
will send a consultant there in two weeks to tweak the
details.


10. (SBU) TCE staff reported that, in order to avoid any
internal control or influence by the GoN, a Nigerian
national based in Rome has been recruited to work as an FAO
international consultant. He and the two other Nigerian
nationals already working under FAO in-country will tie in
AI activities to the FAO/OIE Global Framework for
Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-
TADs) program already underway there. Plans are also
underway to recruit an epidemiologist/veterinarian as well
as a rural information specialist to work on logistics at
the federal level and strengthen the ECTAD country unit. In
addition to discussing and preparing project proposals with
the USAID Mission in Nigeria, FAO held discussion with the
EC and CIDA on funding of activities, particularly relating
to the preparation of joint statement or plan of action.
The African Development Bank also expressed interest in
funding a package of assistance. The FAO Representative
(FAOR) will take the lead in donor coordination to develop a
central ECTAD strengthening program and avoid scattered
programming activities.

--------------
Niger
--------------


11. (U) Niger: An AGA staff member who returned on March 15
from a week-long mission in Niger first briefed on the FAO-
sponsored two-day veterinary training workshop in Niamey
from March 9-10. The workshop had a dual focus, HPAI
surveillance and control and Newcastle disease, and was
attended by 100 veterinarians, who were each provided with
two take-home Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits.


12. (SBU) USMISSION UN ROME also received an overview of the
epidemiological situation as well as his assessment of a
field mission conducted from March 11-12, which follows:

-- Zinder region: two cases of H5N1 were confirmed in ducks
in Galawa Rouga, Magaria. (Samples from a dead chicken,
meanwhile, proved positive for Newcastle disease.) Culling
measures were supposed to have begun in Magaria, but due to
the delay in response, most of the poultry died and no
compensation plan has yet been approved.

-- Goure: a high mortality of ducks was reported, but no
samples have been collected; a medium mortality of chickens
was reported with samples collected and transferred to the
national lab.

-- N'Guigmi, Diffa region: a high mortality of wild birds
was reported. A CIRAD team took samples from six birds;
results are pending.

-- Birni N'Konni, Tahoua region, Jema village: high
mortality of chickens was reported; the regional lab in
Tahoua collected samples for analysis by the national lab.
All dead birds were burned, but no control measures have
been applied to live birds. No poultry was sold to
surrounding villages in Niger, but poultry was bought by
Nigerians from the Nigerian sister village of Jema. No
buffer was put into place around Jema village, and people
and vehicles are freely circulating. Meanwhile, in
surrounding villages, poultry were seen roaming freely. In
these villages, public awareness of AI was generally
described as good. There have been radio PSAs and an
assessment of overall hygiene measures has been done with
the local population.

-- Dosso: samples of dead wild ducks and heron in W Park
were sent to the national lab and to the FAO/OIE reference
lab in Padua, Italy. No suspicion of AI in domestic poultry
has been reported.


13. (SBU) One major contribution by FAO is the preparation
and setup of a disease collection template as there was no
systemic tracking at either the national or regional level.
FAO also raised the question of vaccination, and the
Government expressed a willingness to vaccinate. A proposal
is also being prepared with the Government to enhance
surveillance along the border with Nigeria and in high-risk
areas with a high density of wild birds. The idea is to
create a type of "sanitary" border where vaccinations
against both HPAI and Newcastle disease can be carried out.


14. (SBU) Despite these efforts, the main issue relates to
a major lack of equipment. Surveillance in Niger, and most
likely other African countries, suffers from the lack of
equipment and resources to investigate HPAI at the village
level. For this reason, the FAOR has distributed petrol
vouchers to central authorities for distribution to regions
in an effort to reach villages for surveillance purposes.
The FAOR is also currently purchasing disinfectant and
evaluating the possibility of using sprayers from the desert
locust campaign in the AI campaign as well. We were told
that 1,000 PPEs in all have been delivered to Magaria where
H5N1 has been confirmed, while the French have distributed
very limited quantities of PPEs, disinfectant and sampling
kits. Delays in delivering equipment to regional posts also
comes at the expense of villagers. The Nigeriens are well
trained in the technical aspects of surveillance and control
of HPAI, but lack national measures and infrastructure to
apply this expertise. The FAOR will take the lead on donor
coordination in Niger as well and has been discussing with
the EC the possibility of setting up a logistical network
that will work like a public food distribution system to
supply equipment.

-------------- --------------
TCE Update: PPE and recruitment of staff
-------------- --------------


15. (U) TCE staff stated they are in the process of
finalizing recruitment of 13 technical staff for deployment
at the country level in Bamako, Nairobi, Cairo, Budapest and
elsewhere. Staff working on AI in Rome has been augmented
by 18 persons who cover programming and planning,
procurement and contracts, monitoring and finance, public
information and dissemination, and geographical regions.
The process of recruitment both internationally and locally
has been improving.


16. (U) TCE also reported that FAO's PPE kit is sized for
500 persons and one kit each has been ordered for 65
countries. Currently, FAO's most common problem with
suppliers relates to delivery time, with a range of 4-12
weeks at an average cost of $20 per kit. USMISSION UN ROME
has provided copies of USAID PPE component specifications to
FAO in an effort to link the organization to the system
being used by USAID Missions worldwide.



17. (U) USMISSION UN ROME will continue to disseminate
widely FAO activities to combat and control Avian Influenza.

Hall