RUSSIA MOVING FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL

UNCLAS MOSCOW 001342 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/IHB AND IO/T E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AORC PREL WHO RS SUBJECT: RUSSIA MOVING FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS REF: STATE 33263 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) Per reftel request, we discussed Russia's progress in implementing the International Health Regulations (IHR) with Deputy Director Oleg Chestnov of the Health and Social Development Ministry's International Department, and with Aleksandr Kucherenko, head of the International Department at the Federal Surveillance Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being (Rospotrebnadzor). Chestnov welcomed the checklist of steps that the USG would be taking to implement the IHR in the United States. ¶2. (SBU) Chestnov and Kucherenko confirmed that Rospotrebnadzor would be responsible for Russia's IHR implementation. Chief Medical Officer and Rospotrebnadzor Head Gennadiy Onishchenko issued a decree in May 2007 tasking Rospotrebnadzor with managing Russia's IHR implementation, including coordination with other Russian ministries and agencies that would be affected by the IHR, such as customs, law enforcement and border control services. Rospotrebnadzor is in the process of developing guidelines for the IHR's implementation. Kucherenko stated that Rospotrebnadzor has conducted five meetings with health officials from Russia's regions and from other CIS countries regarding Russia's implementation, including three meetings in which representatives from the World Health Organization's (WHO) European Office participated. Officials from Rospotrebnadzor also will participate in a WHO-sponsored meeting on the IHR in Hamburg, Germany May 26-28. RUSSELL