SLOVAK HEALTH OFFICIALS CRITICAL OF H1N1 PRESS COVERAGE (125

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000395

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED ASEC KPAO LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAK HEALTH OFFICIALS CRITICAL OF H1N1 PRESS COVERAGE (125
CASES, NO DEATHS)


1. (SBU) We have heard a number of comments from high-level
Ministry of Health (MOH) officials criticizing local press
coverage of the H1N1 swine flu virus. Eleonora Branska,
Director General in the Department of International Relations at
the Ministry of Health, privately expressed her feelings that
the press was becoming overly aggressive and fanning public
worries. At the national Public Health Authority (PHA),Sarka
Kovacsova, Department of International Relations, and Jan Mikas,
Head of the Department of Epidemiology, expressed confidence in
Slovakia's flu preparations as well as expressing similar
concerns about the press. To date, the PHA reports 125
confirmed cases of the swine flu and no deaths.


2. (SBU) MOH officials appear particularly sensitive to coverage
comparing plans for GOS vaccine stockpiles with those of other
countries. Citing a World Health Organization (WHO)
recommendation that countries have vaccine doses covering 20
percent of their population, the Slovak State Material Reserves
Administration (SSHR) is working toward a vaccine stockpile of
one million doses, including 700,000 packages of Tamiflu and
1,000 packages of Tamiflu Dry Syrup targeted for first
responders and vulnerable populations. Press coverage has cited
plans for higher vaccine per capita stockpiles in neighboring
countries, including the Czech Republic. At the peak of the
initial H1N1 scare, MOH and PHA attempted to tamp down public
worries by arguing that Slovakia was not experiencing a pandemic
rate of H1N1 infection and pointed to a low 7 percent
vaccination rate against common influenza as a larger concern.


3. (SBU) In concert with the assistance of the WHO Country
Director in Slovakia, the GOS developed a national legal
framework for responding to a pandemic influenza outbreak in

2005. The national plan has lain relatively dormant until the
onset of the latest swine flu worries, and MoH officials
acknowledge the need for updates.


4. (SBU) Responding to this need, we have sought out ways to
influence key MOH decision-makers who could benefit from
exposure to the U.S. system of preparation for pandemic
influenza. We thank the International Visitor program and the
special, end-of-year funding allowing for the timely
participation of Dr. Adriana Liptakova in the program entitled
"Public Safety: Preparing for Potential Pandemic Disease." Dr.
Liptakova, Chief State Counselor and the Director of the Health
Care Department, is a critical decision-maker at the MOH. Still
in the U.S. participating in the program, Dr. Liptakova has
already indicated her desire to accelerate GOS preparations and
change the defensive posture taken by the MOH.

EDDINS