COORDINATOR ADAMS MEETING WITH MINISTER OF HEALTH AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000163

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY),SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SOCI EAID TX US
SUBJECT: COORDINATOR ADAMS MEETING WITH MINISTER OF HEALTH AND
MEDICAL INDUSTRY SOPIEV


Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) Minister of Health Care and Medical Industry Byashim
Sopiev expressed undiluted appreciation for past and present joint
health programs, and readiness for new ones, throughout a one-hour
meeting with EUR/ACE Assistance Coordinator Tom Adams, USAID
Assistant Administrator Douglas Menarchik and Regional Mission
Director Chris Crowley on January 31. End Summary.

Working with an Old Friend
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2. (SBU) Promoted from Deputy Minister on December 23, Minister
Sopiev received the delegation in his old Deputy Minister's office.
He thanked USAID for its ongoing support of the
Tuberculosis-Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (TB-DOTS)
program, lab diagnostics training and the Integrated Management of
Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) activities. Sopiev noted that, while
current Acting President Berdimuhammedov was Health Minister, Sopiev
himself had been in charge of international assistance. As such, he
had worked with U.S. counterparts on various programs for nine
years. While listing some of the recent accomplishments in the
sector, Sopiev noted that President Niyazov had signed a decree on
the "Safe Motherhood" program the week he died. He expressed
appreciation for good relations and promised to continue working
together in the service of Turkmenistan's population. Adams
complimented the minister for having taken the politically difficult
decision to accept the WHO-developed international live birth
definition, which as a byproduct will cause child mortality
statistics to rise initially, as well as for passing a national
HIV/AIDS strategy.

HIV/AIDS Project MOU in Final Stages of Approval
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3. (U) Adams asked if there were any obstacles to signing the
memorandum of understanding (MOU) for USAID's CAPACITY project on
HIV/AIDS. (Note: This has been under discussion for over a year,
and was expected to be signed during December 2006. The postponed
visit of USAID Regional Director Crowley and Niyazov's subsequent
death precluded signing at that time. End Note.) Sopiev reassured
the delegation that neither he nor his ministry had any outstanding
impediments to signing the MOU. They had already submitted the
document to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the latter's
mandatory final approval, which, he said, was a mere formality; he
did not, however offer a timeframe for signing. Sopiev then
admitted that the CAPACITY MOU process had also been delayed because
Turkmenistan had applied to the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis,
and Malaria (GFATM). In so doing, he displayed some confusion over
the relationship between GFATM and CAPACITY; Crowley clarified that
the two were entirely separate entities and the signing of the MOU
should not be linked to the failure of the GFATM to approve
Turkmenistan's applications. Sopiev called the CAPACITY project
"useful" and a "good program for prevention."

Disappointed Over Lack of Approval for Global Fund Proposal
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4. (SBU) Sopiev expressed disappointment that Turkmenistan's recent
applications to the Sixth Round of the Global Fund were not approved
in November 2006 after so much work, with international support, had
been expended. Failing to acknowledge the detailed feedback that
had been provided by the Technical Review Panel as part of the
non-approval, Sopiev said he did not understand the rejection.
(Note: The application's three components were not rejected, but
rather "not approved," and the applicant was encouraged to submit an
improved proposal in some future round. End Note.) Adams said he
shared Sopiev's disappointment, and related Kazakhstan's experience
in submitting four applications for a tuberculosis grant before
being approved in the Global Fund's Round 6, and urged that
Turkmenistan reapply in the 7th Round. Without expressing a
position either way regarding a Round 7 application, Sopiev
expressed appreciation for Adams' commitment to continued support
for the Ministry of Health through existing programs.

ASHGABAT 00000163 002 OF 002



CDC Programs: Give Us a (Fresh) Chance
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5. (U) Sopiev said he heard very good things about the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) year-long Applied
Epidemiology Training Program during a recent trip to Geneva. He
acknowledged that the Turkmenistan authorities had failed to submit
names for the program in the past, but said that they would
seriously consider future invitations to participate.


6. (U) Adams inquired about two CDC lab-training events, which
failed to take place last year as planned. Attributing the failure
to issue a decree approving the training programs to "confusion" on
both sides, Sopiev requested that CDC propose dates for these
programs through official channels after the February 19 Flag Day
holiday, and promised that his ministry would respond within one
week.


7. (U) Addressing the top opportunities for expanded cooperation,
Sopiev mentioned USAID/CDC's ongoing blood safety programs, and
expressed particular interest in expanding the current activities on
hepatitis control, and training programs on laboratory quality
control and lab diagnostics. Sopiev also complimented USAID's
ZdravPlus program, specifically its IMCI and Maternal and Child
Health activities. He hoped to expand existing cooperation to
include activities within the recently-approved Safe Motherhood
framework, and to expand the ZdravPlus program's laboratory
diagnostics and training activities.

Resolution of Healthcare Obstacles in Sight?
--------------


8. (U) Adams raised the issue of the burden of permits and other
bureaucratic requirements, and suggested that they could halve the
amount of assistance delivered for a given input of resources and
effort. Sopiev acknowledged this point, and proudly noted that the
medical-policy platform of "their" presidential candidate, Acting
President Berdimuhammedov, proposed several steps to improve the
capacity of healthcare sector workers. If elected, he suggested,
these burdens could be reduced in accordance with Berdimuhammedov's
platform.

Comment
--------------


9. (SBU) Given post's long and positive working relationship with
Sopiev personally and with the Ministry of Health more generally, it
is not surprising that this meeting was so positive. Although
Sopiev has been reluctant to give the appearance of stepping up too
soon to move into his predecessor's office, we do not expect that he
will have similar reservations over proposals for expanded
cooperation in the aforementioned sectors. Given the prominence the
former minister and current acting president has placed on improving
the social sectors, U.S. Government relations and cooperation with
the Ministry of Healthcare and Medical Industry could expand
significantly given additional resources. End Comment.

BRUSH