SLOVAKIA PREOCCUPIED WITH INTERNAL H1N1 PREPARATIONS (133

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000420 SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/IHB JONES AND IO/HS BLACKWOOD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PREL KFLU WHO LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA PREOCCUPIED WITH INTERNAL H1N1 PREPARATIONS (133 CASES, NO DEATHS) REF: A. STATE 99707 ¶B. BRATISLAVA 395 ¶1. Ref A points were delivered to Sarka Kovacsova at the Public Health Authority (PHA) Department of International Relations and Dr. Adriana Liptakova, Chief State Counselor and the Director of the Health Care Department at the Ministry of Health. GOS officials view the President's September 17 announcement on a coordinated H1N1 international response positively. However, given budget and other fiscal constraints, GOS officials are not prepared to make donations to the effort at this time. To date, the PHA reports 133 confirmed cases of H1N1 and no deaths. ¶2. Rather than consider the Slovak contribution to an international effort, health officials appear more focused on internal press criticism suggesting the GOS has not secured enough vaccinations for its own citizenry quickly enough (ref B). 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. GOS officials have been particularly sensitive to reports of higher vaccine per capita stockpiles in neighboring countries, including the Czech Republic. EDDINS