ARMENIA FALLING SHORT ON AI DETECTION AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 YEREVAN 000330 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES, EUR/CARC - DSTAVROPOULOS, EUR/PGI - CCONNORS PLEASE PASS TO USAID - NBLANCHET E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2016 TAGS: KFLU TBIO SENV ECON AM SUBJECT: ARMENIA FALLING SHORT ON AI DETECTION AND PREVENTION REF: A) YEREVAN 208 B) YEREVAN 268 Classified By: Amb. John M. Evans for reasons 1.4 (b, d). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) We are increasingly concerned that there are non-human cases of avian influenza (AI) in Armenia that have gone undetected and/or unreported. This cable details a series of incidents which collectively call into question the GOAM's willingness and ability to respond to reports of suspect cases, actively test for AI, provide accurate information to the public and counter misinformation from other sources. These troubling incidents underscore the immediate need for long-term assistance to help the GOAM understand and respond to this critical threat. End Summary. -------------- GOAM SLOW TO BEGIN AI TESTING -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Despite significant pressure from the USG and other donors, the Armenian government has been slow to adopt an effective active surveillance system and has failed to diagnose a single case of AI. In January 2006, USAID sponsored a second trip to Armenia by avian flu expert Dr. Elizabeth Krushinskie (reftels). During her visit, Krushinskie trained local veterinarians and representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture on rapid assay field tests to identify potential cases of AI. She provided the government with 20 testing kits capable of testing 400 samples. She also provided shipping containers and training on how to collect and ship samples to an international reference laboratory. ¶3. (C) On February 28, the Chair of the Armenian Inter-Ministrial Taskforce and Deputy Minister of Agriculture told us that only two of the tests kits had been used and that they had been used to experiment with the technology, not to actually test dead birds. We explained to the Minister that additional USG assistance would be tied to the government's proper use of the equipment already provided and urged him to immediately begin testing dead and sick birds which met the AI case definition developed by Krushinskie and the State Veterinary Service in January. -------------- VILLAGERS TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On March 2, USDA local staff member Levon Gyuikhasyan traveled with a Ministry of Agriculture Team to two villages near the Turkish-Armenian border. Gyuikhasyan said that the Ministry of Agriculture Team did interview farmers based on the surveys designed by Krushinskie and were told there were no sick or dead chickens in either village. Based on his observations and responses to the surveys, Gyuikhasyan estimated that backyard poultry owners in these two villages had killed approximately 60 percent of their flocks because they were concerned about bird flu. The villagers reported either eating or freezing the birds they had killed and indicated that they plan to buy new chickens once the AI problem was resolved. (Note: Many Armenians both in and outside of government appear erroneously to view AI as a short-term problem that will somehow go away either after the spring migration season or in the near future. End Note.) -------------- -------------- LOCAL VETERINARIAN ADVISES VILLAGERS TO KILL THEIR BIRDS -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) World Vision, an international NGO implementing assistance programs throughout rural Armenia, recently reported to USAID that some of the farmers they work with had been instructed by a local veterinarian to kill their birds. The farmers were participants in a World Vision project which required that they share eggs with needy people in their communities and were concerned that if they followed the veterinarian's advice they would not be able to fulfill their obligations under the program. World Vision also received a letter from the Tavush Regional Veterinary Service asking for assistance to dig a large pit for dead birds. It was not clear from the letter whether there were large numbers of dead birds in the region or if this was a preemptive request. YEREVAN 00000330 002 OF 003 -------------- -- GOAM SEEKS TO EXPLAIN AWAY OR DENY BIRD DEATHS -------------- -- ¶6. (C) AI diagnosis in Armenia is particularly challenging because the poultry disease Newcastle, which also can cause large die-offs, is endemic and has a similar clinical presentation to AI. Krushinskie, therefore, instructed the government to test all apparent Newcastle bird deaths for AI using the rapid tests we provided. When we asked if the tests were being used in such cases, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture told us no birds had died of Newcastle and so no test had been conducted. A representative from the European Commission who has worked with the Minister of Agriculture for a number of years to develop a National Animal Disease Surveillance System told us that this was not accurate. While he was not able to provide data concerning specific die-offs, he said he was certain that there had been suspicious bird deaths during the time in question. ¶7. (SBU) The Ministry has also tried to explain away reported bird deaths. We heard numerous rumors about five dead storks found in the Ararat region near the Armenian-Turkish border in late February. When we asked the Ministry of Agriculture about the reports, we were told that four wild geese had died in the region, two from gunshot wounds and two from worms. The Ministry claimed that all four birds were found in the same area on the same day. A press local article on March 2 reported that there was a mass die-off of crows on the banks of a river in southern Armenia. According to the story, the State Veterinary Service responded to the reports but only found one dead crow at the site and diagnosed the cause of death as beriberi. (Note: Although beriberi is a human disease cause by a thyroid deficiency, there is a similar disease called "polyneuritis" which affects birds. End Note.) -------------- -------------- APPARENTLY OVERWHELMED, AI HOTLINE GIVES POOR ADVICE -------------- -------------- ¶8. (SBU) At our urging, the GOAM established an AI hotline for citizens to report cases of dead birds. A few weeks ago the hotline number was changed, despite the fact that all the publicity materials produced by both the GOAM and the donor community listed the original number. The GOAM failed to notify us about this change and, when we complained, said that the decision had been taken by a low-level functionary who was not aware of the potential consequences and agreed to have the original number restored. Despite the number change, we have heard numerous reports of the hotline giving callers poor advice. For example, the school nurse at a school attended by the child of an Embassy employee called the hotline when a dead bird was found on school property. She said she was initially told to pick up the bird, place it in a plastic bag and bury it. When she complained that she did not want to touch the bird, she was told to set it on fire. We have also heard reports of callers being told, "We are too busy. Deal with it (the dead bird) yourself." ¶9. (SBU) When we brought these stories to the attention of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, he was visibly upset and said he would take immediate action to resolve the situation. (Note: With the reports of dead birds apparently on the increase, it is unlikely that the Ministry has the capacity and resources to respond to every case and we have offered to assist the Ministry in developing a training program for hotline operators so they can identify suspicious bird deaths which require follow-up and can provide appropriate advice to callers. End Note.) -------------- -------------- POULTRY INDUSTRY REP. ATTACKS UNICEF FOR CAUSING PANIC -------------- -------------- ¶10. (SBU) UNICEF has been the leading organization on public health outreach related to AI and has produced fliers and a school outreach campaign to inform citizens about AI and safe food handling (reftels). All of UNICEF's materials conform to World Health Organization guidelines and were vetted and approved by the Ministries of Health and Education prior to distribution. According to UNICEF country director Sheldon Yett, on the evening of February 28, a leading commercial poultry producer and member of Parliament appeared on national television denouncing the UNICEF materials, claiming that they were inaccurate and were causing panic. UNICEF YEREVAN 00000330 003 OF 003 complained to the Inter-Ministerial AI taskforce on March 2 and was told, "Don't worry, we will take care of this." To date, the GOAM has yet to respond to or refute this charge. We are working with UNICEF to set up a meeting with commercial poultry farmers where UNICEF can explain how the safe food handling message actually benefits the poultry industry. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (C) Given the fact that all of Armenia's neighbors have confirmed cases of AI, it would be extraordinary were there no H5N1 in Armenia. We believe that the lack of a diagnosis is a result of the GOAM's failure to test for the disease. We continue to push the government to begin testing and active surveillance. As a stop-gap measure, USDA has assigned a local employee on a part-time basis to work with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that the tests provided by avian flu expert Krushinksie are being used. Krushinskie is scheduled to return to Armenia on March 13 and USAID is also sponsoring an expert to train the GOAM on proper culling and disposal techniques. Unfortunately, there is increasing evidence that the true impediment to AI diagnosis and prevention in Armenia is not only a lack of resources and capacity, but also a lack of political will. We will continue to express our disappointment at the slow pace of the GOAM's response to this threat and encourage the government to fully engage on this issue. We have requested funding for a full-time, long-term (one year minimum) avian flu expert (ref A) and believe that this person will be in a unique position to maintain pressure on the GOAM to respond appropriately to this threat while also providing needed training and resources. EVANS