Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LIBREVILLE222
2007-05-14 13:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Libreville
Cable title:
POSSIBLE US-BRAZIL COOPERATION TO COMBAT MALARIA
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UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000222
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
BRASILIA FOR AMBASSADOR SOBEL; STATE FOR AF PDAS
THOMAS-GREENFIELD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI TBIO TP BR
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE US-BRAZIL COOPERATION TO COMBAT MALARIA
IN STP
UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000222
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
BRASILIA FOR AMBASSADOR SOBEL; STATE FOR AF PDAS
THOMAS-GREENFIELD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI TBIO TP BR
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE US-BRAZIL COOPERATION TO COMBAT MALARIA
IN STP
1. (U) During a visit to Sao Tome and Principe (STP) last
week, Ambassador Walkley met Manuel Innocencio de Lacerdo
Santos, Brazil's ambassador in STP, to explore possible
US-Brazilian cooperation in the fight against malaria. One
focus of the conversation was an examination of Taiwan's
anti-malaria program in STP. FYI: STP is a two-island nation
with a population of approximately 160,000 (154,500 on Sao
Tome, 5,500 on Principe).
2. (U) Taiwan started an anti-malaria program in STP in 2000,
with a three-year series of pilot studies that indicated the
best way to eradicate malaria would be through indoor
residual spraying (IRS) with alphacypermethrin 50mg/m2. The
IRS program began in 2005, with the plan to spray virtually
every house on the two islands once a year for three years.
The 2005 IRS program covered 93% of the population, the 2006
program 88% and the 2007 program so far 90%. There will be
no mass sprayings after 2007 (to minimize the chance of
insecticide resistance).
3. (U) The results have been dramatic. In the year before
the spraying in 2004, there were 67,000 cases of malaria
reported, 13,000 patients hospitalized and 300 deaths. After
two rounds of spraying, the 2006 figures were 8,600 malaria
cases, 1,700 hospitalized and 21 deaths. In late 2006, blood
tests were done on virtually everyone on Principe; of the
5427 tests, only 57 were positive for malaria. With the
treatment of those 57, there is the possibility of
eradicating malaria on Principe. A similar mass screening of
everyone on Sao Tome is planned for late 2007. Taiwan has
been spending approximately one million dollars per year on
the STP anti-malaria program.
4. (U) Later this year, Taiwan will send 60 people from STP
to Taipei for training in quarantine issues and maintenance
of the anti-malaria program.
5. (U) Given the success of Taiwan's program in STP, are
there areas where US-Brazilian cooperation on malaria would
be useful and not duplicative? Ambassadors Walkley and
Santos are in agreement that there remain two areas where
joint activities could be effective: the further training of
personnel and the mapping of vectors. We recommend that a
small US-Brazilian team of experts be sent to STP to draw up
a specific program. (Santos indicates that the last
Brazilian malaria team visit to STP was in 2004, before the
Taiwanese began the spraying program.)
6.(U) Ambassador Santos will be sending to Brasilia a cable
with recommendations similar to the ones in this message.
WALKLEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
BRASILIA FOR AMBASSADOR SOBEL; STATE FOR AF PDAS
THOMAS-GREENFIELD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI TBIO TP BR
SUBJECT: POSSIBLE US-BRAZIL COOPERATION TO COMBAT MALARIA
IN STP
1. (U) During a visit to Sao Tome and Principe (STP) last
week, Ambassador Walkley met Manuel Innocencio de Lacerdo
Santos, Brazil's ambassador in STP, to explore possible
US-Brazilian cooperation in the fight against malaria. One
focus of the conversation was an examination of Taiwan's
anti-malaria program in STP. FYI: STP is a two-island nation
with a population of approximately 160,000 (154,500 on Sao
Tome, 5,500 on Principe).
2. (U) Taiwan started an anti-malaria program in STP in 2000,
with a three-year series of pilot studies that indicated the
best way to eradicate malaria would be through indoor
residual spraying (IRS) with alphacypermethrin 50mg/m2. The
IRS program began in 2005, with the plan to spray virtually
every house on the two islands once a year for three years.
The 2005 IRS program covered 93% of the population, the 2006
program 88% and the 2007 program so far 90%. There will be
no mass sprayings after 2007 (to minimize the chance of
insecticide resistance).
3. (U) The results have been dramatic. In the year before
the spraying in 2004, there were 67,000 cases of malaria
reported, 13,000 patients hospitalized and 300 deaths. After
two rounds of spraying, the 2006 figures were 8,600 malaria
cases, 1,700 hospitalized and 21 deaths. In late 2006, blood
tests were done on virtually everyone on Principe; of the
5427 tests, only 57 were positive for malaria. With the
treatment of those 57, there is the possibility of
eradicating malaria on Principe. A similar mass screening of
everyone on Sao Tome is planned for late 2007. Taiwan has
been spending approximately one million dollars per year on
the STP anti-malaria program.
4. (U) Later this year, Taiwan will send 60 people from STP
to Taipei for training in quarantine issues and maintenance
of the anti-malaria program.
5. (U) Given the success of Taiwan's program in STP, are
there areas where US-Brazilian cooperation on malaria would
be useful and not duplicative? Ambassadors Walkley and
Santos are in agreement that there remain two areas where
joint activities could be effective: the further training of
personnel and the mapping of vectors. We recommend that a
small US-Brazilian team of experts be sent to STP to draw up
a specific program. (Santos indicates that the last
Brazilian malaria team visit to STP was in 2004, before the
Taiwanese began the spraying program.)
6.(U) Ambassador Santos will be sending to Brasilia a cable
with recommendations similar to the ones in this message.
WALKLEY