UPDATE ON OUTBREAK COMMUNICATION STRATEGY IN VIETNAM AVIAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000687 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR G/AIG/JKOWALSKI, PCLERKIN AND SES-O/CMS/LGISVOLD STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/STC, OES/IHA, MED STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER, DBELL AND ABHAT) STATE PASS TO CDC (NCOX AND AMOHEN) USDA PASS TO APHIS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN) BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID (JMACARTHUR AND MBRADY) ROME FOR FAO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU KPAO SENV OCII AJ CB CA CH EG IN ID LA MX NL, PK, RS, TH, TU, UP, VM SUBJECT: UPDATE ON OUTBREAK COMMUNICATION STRATEGY IN VIETNAM AVIAN INFLUENZA PLANS HANOI 00000687 001.2 OF 003 UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS REF: STATE 22991 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (GVN) has a comprehensive prevention and control approach for avian and pandemic influenza (AI) based on a national surveillance system in the developing world context. The approach integrates both animal and human health sectors. The GVN leadership and management structure effectively reaches all levels of government, from the Prime Minster's office down to the district commune. The approach is based on a national plan, which specifically addresses preparedness. The plan is aggressive by international standards and has proven effective during recurring animal and human outbreaks over recent years. The implementation now falls under a partnership framework between the National Steering Committee for Avian Influenza (GVN) and international partners through a Vietnam Partnership for Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza (PAHI),established in November 2006. HHS/CDC has a cooperative agreement, which includes effort to provide technical assistance to update this type of planning. Experience with SARS provided momentum for building AI preparedness. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) The national plan is contained in two documents: Vietnam's Integrated National Plan for Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response, 2006-2008 (also known as the "Red Book") and The Vietnam Integrated National Operational Programme for Avian and Human Influenza (OPI),2006-2010 (known as the "Green Book" See: http://www.avianinfluenza.org.vn (under "resources," under "documents," accessed 04/11/2007). ¶3. (U) The GVN has conducted and participated in pandemic response exercises at the national and international regional level. See list below. It has trained rapid response teams at national, provincial, and district levels. On the human health side, hospital staff has been trained in detection, diagnosis, and management of influenza suspects. There has been some effort to upgrade capacity (i.e., equipment and staff training) and to deal with respiratory failure (e.g., in the use of ventilators and oxygen, planned training on personal protective equipment). Preparation and response also characterizes the animal health side. The approach includes systems for early detection, reporting, rapid response with compensated culling, isolation, quarantine, and the implementation of a comprehensive poultry immunization program. Regulations for safer poultry rearing, slaughtering and marketing are in place and longer term industry reforms are moving forward. Vietnam is taking an increasingly important regional role in training and support. Multi-agency USG support, both technical and financial, to the GVN and the assistance of other international partners has contributed substantially to Vietnam's preparedness capacity. ¶4. (U) The list of trainings and exercises should be put in the context of the chronology of six "waves" of animal AI outbreaks (12/2003, 4/2004, 12/2004, 10/2005, 12/2006, and 3/2007) and HANOI 00000687 002.2 OF 003 confirmed human cases were related to the first four waves. Further, the trainings should be understood in the context major communications efforts on the part of the GVN (some examples include 01/28/04: Prime Minister issued the decision No 13/2004 QD-TTg to establish the National Steering committee for AI control and prevention; 2004: 64 Provincial Steering Committees for AI Control and Prevention were established; 11/2006: Establishment of Partnership on Avian and Human Influenza (PAHI); 12/22/06: Urgent message 2119/CD-TTg by Prime Minister to direct authorities to control AI). ¶5. (U) The list of trainings and exercises below includes the date, title (location or frequency),and if available, estimated total number of participants and sponsor. This is partial list. There is no known centralized catalogue for this data. The data was collected by Post from Ministry of Health (MOH),Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD),and Vietnamese and English language press. 2004, Training for community health workers, 1500, 30 training courses, GVN 2004, Training for public health officials (five courses),150, World Bank (WB) 2005, Tabletop exercise (Hanoi),300, GVN 2005, Tabletop exercise (Hue),300, GVN 2005, Tabletop exercise (Ho Chi Minh),300 staff, GVN 2005, Conference on avian influenza for regional health officials (four locations),300, GVN 2005, Tabletop exercise, (four locations),1500, GVN 2005, Training for community, district level (three locations), 1800, GVN 2005, Training for provincial and district public health workers (three locations),250, WHO 2006, Tabletop exercise (Thai Binh Province),300, United Nations Joint Program (UNJP) 2006, Tabletop exercise (Vinh Phuc Province),300, UNJP 2006, Tabletop exercise (Can Tho Province),300, UNJP 2006, Tabletop exercise (Quang Binh Province),300 2006, Conferences for hospital health workers and ministerial officials (Hanoi, Hue, Ho Chi Minh),180, WHO HANOI 00000687 003.2 OF 003 2006, Tabletop exercise (Can Tho, Vinh Phuc, Quang Binh, Thai Binh Provinces),1200, WHO 2006, Training on AI containment and prevention (23 Provinces), 1610, WHO 2006, Training on AI treatment therapy (10 Provinces),500, GVN 2006, Training on using ventilator for central, provincial hospital (24 cities and Provinces),1200, GVN 2006, Training on WHO's Early Warning and Reporting System (EWARS) for provincial and district public health workers (59 courses), 2950, WHO/FAO/UNDP 2006, Training for SARS control and prevention and other diseases (Hanoi),90, WHO 2006, Training for influenza surveillance A/H5N1 (Hanoi),360, WHO 06/02/2006, Conference to support National activities on coordination program against bird flu and human AI, WB MARD 01/07/2007, Quang Nam province conducted a tabletop exercise in the event of an H5N1 human outbreak (Quangnam Province),700, GVN 3/2007, National workshop on Influenza Surveillance, 65, US CDC 3/2007, Training course for sentinel hospitals (two locations) 90, US CDC MARINE