Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JAKARTA877
2008-05-02 08:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

INFLUENZA PANDEMIC SIMULATION EXERCISE

Tags:  TBIO EAGR KFLU AMGT PGOV ID 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3806
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0877/01 1230829
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 020829Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8902
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJB/DOJ WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7766
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000877 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG, L/DL, EAP/EX, AND OES/IHA
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/ABHAT/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN
USDA/FAS/OSTA BRANT, ROSENBLUM
USDA/APHIS ANNELLI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO EAGR KFLU AMGT PGOV ID
SUBJECT: INFLUENZA PANDEMIC SIMULATION EXERCISE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000877

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, G/AIAG, L/DL, EAP/EX, AND OES/IHA
USAID FOR ANE/CLEMENTS AND GH/CARROLL
DEPT ALSO PASS TO HHS/WSTEIGER/ABHAT/MSTLOUIS AND HHS/NIH
GENEVA FOR WHO/HOHMAN
USDA/FAS/OSTA BRANT, ROSENBLUM
USDA/APHIS ANNELLI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO EAGR KFLU AMGT PGOV ID
SUBJECT: INFLUENZA PANDEMIC SIMULATION EXERCISE


1. (SBU) Summary. The Indonesian Ministry of Health (MOH) hosted a
three-day pandemic avian influenza simulation exercise in Jembrana
Regency, Bali during 25-27 April 2008. The exercise focused on early
detection and rapid containment of an epicenter outbreak of Avian
Influenza virus with capacity for human-to-human transmission. More
than 1,000 participants from various Indonesian government agencies,
district as well as local volunteers participated in the event.
Simulation activities testing operational plans to contain the
outbreak occurred at multiple sites including Dangin Tukaday
village, local health centers, and health care facilities. In
addition, players simulated activities at Bali's international
airport to prevent international spread of disease. End Summary.


--------------
MULTISECTORAL EXERCISE
--------------


1. (SBU) Led by the Ministry of Health, the simulation activity
culminated six months of inter-sectoral planning with
representatives from the Ministries of Transportation, Agriculture,
People's Welfare, Education, Defense, Police, Port authorities,
KOMNAS (National AI Committee),UN organizations, CDC, and other
partners. Working groups developed operational plans to contain an
outbreak based on Ministry of Health guidelines for epicenter
containment. CDC and WHO provided technical support and funding
including $500,000 for operational costs provided by CDC and
approximately $86,000 for training provided by the government of
Japan through WHO.


3. (U) Planning for the exercise began in October 2007 and included
formation of working groups to develop operational plans for
epicenter containment in keys areas including: incident command and
control, surveillance, risk communication, quarantine, port control,
non-pharmaceutical interventions, medical treatment, mass
prophylaxis, and logistics/essential services. The working groups

tested these plans in desk-top exercises before the simulation
activity. Based on these exercises, teams finalized the plans and
developed training materials to orient provincial and district level
staff on epicenter containment.

--------------
HIGH LEVEL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT
--------------


4. (SBU) Several key government officials attended the event
including Bayu Krisnamurthi, Head of KOMNAS; Dr. Nyoman Kandun, DG
of the Indonesian CDC; Dr. Imansyah, the Surgeon General of the
Navy; and Dr. I. Gede Winsasa, Jembrana District Governor. (Note:
Winsana is running for Governor of Bali and is known as an advocate
for the poor.) During the welcome ceremony, Dr. Nyoman Kandun, the
Director General (DG) of Indonesian Centers for Disease Control
(CDC),read Minister Supari's welcome speech that included reference
to virus sample sharing and Material Transfer Agreement (MTA).

--------------
OUTBREAK SKENARIO
--------------


5. (U) The outbreak scenario involved human to human transmission of
avian influenza in Dangin Tukaday village as well as human to human
transmission in Tabanan hospital. Containment guidelines included
quarantining of the village; providing hospital staff with mass
anti-viral prophylaxis; and providing essential services to the
affected populations. Dr. Winasa, as the local level incident
commander, played a key role in organizing efforts. There was wide
scale involvement of local government officials and community-based
organizations in the simulated response.


6. (U) The village at the epicenter (Dangin Tukaday) was the site of
actual AI fatalities in 2007. Residents of the affected village and
the outlining community participated with enthusiasm in the
exercise. Three hospitals also participated in the exercise and
implemented full measures of epicenter containment.

--------------
OBSERVERS VISIT THE FIELD
--------------

JAKARTA 00000877 002 OF 002




7. (U) Over 50 international visitors observed the exercise. Key
activities included setting up the incident command and control
centers and management of patients with avian flu. Visitors also
observed surveillance teams deployed to the epicenter, provision of
mass antiviral prophylaxis, triage and referral of affected
patients, infection control procedures, quarantine of the community
and affected households, implementation of non-pharmaceutical
interventions such as closing of schools, and culling of poultry.


8. (U) Police used wire barricades to block access to the village
and implemented decontamination procedures for persons and vehicles
going in and out of the containment zone. The government
communicated with the public using posters, flyers, person to person
outreach, and a patrolling can equipped with a loudspeaker. Workers
used personal protective equipment in the containment zone.


9. (SBU) Health educators and communication experts staffed a media
center using SMS/call/website lines. On day two, Minister Supari
announced an epicenter outbreak in Jembrana in a mock press
conference.


10. (U) On day three of the exercise, activities moved to Bali's
international airport. Passengers entering the terminal completed a
health questionnaire and passed through a thermal scanner to screen
for possible AI. Suspect cases taken to a mobile clinic and
monitored.

--------------
MEDIA COVERAGE
--------------


11. (U) More than 30 local and international news organizations,
representing TV, print, radio reported on the simulation exercise.
UNICEF will be releasing a video/DVD of the simulation.

--------------
LESSONS LEARNED
--------------


12. (U) International observers provided technical recommendations
to WHO and MOH to help further refine protocols and operational
plans. Lessons learned from the exercise are being summarized in a
final report that will be shared with the international community. A
USAID contractor is assisting the MOH to develop revised epicenter
containment guidelines and operational plans (in Bahasa and English)
to be shared with the international community.



13. (SBU) International observer list:

--WHO (Indonesia, SEARO, WPRO, Geneva)
--US, CDC (Jakarta, Atlanta)
--USAID (Jakarta)
--AusAID
--Embassy of Japan/JICA
--Embassy of Nigeria
--Embassy of New Zealand
--Embassy of Canada
--Government of Laos
--Ministry of Health, Egypt


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