AMBASSADOR LOFTIS REVIEWS VIETNAMESE RESPONSE TO AVIAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000398

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED EAGR PINR KFLU VM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR LOFTIS REVIEWS VIETNAMESE RESPONSE TO AVIAN
INFLUENZA AND PLANS TO HOST 2010 MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

Ref: 08 Hanoi 599 (human vaccinations)

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1. (U) Summary: In meetings with the Embassy avian influenza team,
other donors, USAID implementing partners, and the Government of
Vietnam (GVN),Ambassador Loftis discussed the GVN response to avian
influenza, its successes, and how the response might be improved.
Ambassador Loftis informed the GVN and international donors that the
United States would provide financial and technical support for the
2010 International Ministerial Conference on Avian and Pandemic
Influenza (IMCAPI),which will likely be hosted by Vietnam. The GVN
welcomed U.S. support and soon expects to have final approval from
the Prime Minister to host the event, which likely will occur in
March or April 2010. In every meeting, participants highlighted
Vietnam's many successes, but noted the need to improve cooperation
between human and animal health experts and the constant need to
combat complacency among producers and consumers of poultry
products. During a visit to a view a new biosecurity model village
in Hung Yen province, Ambassador Loftis witnessed successful
USAID-supported programs to buttress efforts to improve hygiene and
limit the spread of avian influenza. End Summary.

Donor Support for 2010
Avian Influenza Ministerial in Vietnam
--------------


2. (SBU) In his meeting United Nations Resident Representative John
Hendra, European Community Ambassador Sean Doyle, and
representatives of the United Nations System Influenza Coordination
office (UNSIC),Ambassador Loftis reached consensus with his
counterparts to support the 2010 International Ministerial
Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IMCAPI) to be hosted by
the Government of Vietnam (GVN). Loftis confirmed that USAID would
provide technical and financial support for the conference, which he
suggested should focus on lessons from avian influenza response for
pandemic planning, review of other human diseases of animal origin,
and the opportunity for Vietnam and others to review their responses
(vaccinations, culling or poultry market modifications) with other
countries facing avian influenza outbreaks. The UN and the EC
reaffirmed their support for the Ministerial, which they hoped would
take place in April 2010, after the peak avian influenza season and
prior to the May 2010 World Health Assembly. Ambassador Doyle noted
his particular pleasure with Ambassador Loftis' desire for the
Ministerial to look at the broader health dimensions of avian
influenza.

Donor Views of GVN Response
--------------


3. (SBU) The UN's Hendra noted that Vietnam had quickly mobilized in
the face of early outbreaks in 2003 and 2004, but now needed to
adopt a more sustainable, long-term plan. EU Ambassador Doyle,
stated that while he admired the response by animal and human health
experts, the two relevant ministries, the Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Health (MOH),
needed to better integrate their efforts. Success in fighting avian
influenza could boost the reputation of MOH, not currently seen as a

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strong ministry, and assist overall public health reform. Technical
experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Food and
Agricultural Organization (FAO) stressed solid cooperation with
their GVN counterparts, but highlighted the need to change the
behavior of those involved in the poultry sector, many of whom seem
increasingly complacent due to the lack of large-scale outbreaks.
While the GVN remains committed to its animal vaccination program,
FAO and WHO want to work with the GVN to better identify the
mechanisms through which the virus was spread through poultry and to
develop poultry sector practices to limit that spread and limit
exposure to humans.

Ministry of Health
--------------


4. (SBU) Dr. Nguyen Tran Hien, the Director General of the National
Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) within MOH, mirrored
some of the comments from prominent donors and noted that Vietnam
needed to improve collaboration between the animal and human health
sectors. At the same time, Vietnam had much to be proud of,
including ongoing NIHE efforts to develop a human vaccine for H5N1
avian influenza. Using monkey kidney cells, Hien reported
successful laboratory testing and promising results in the first
phase of human trials (reftel). (Note: This effort, done in
collaboration with VabioTech, a private spin-off of NIHE, is one of
three in Vietnam working to develop a human vaccine against H5N1
avian influenza. The USG has invested in this effort and one other
at the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biological Substances in
Nha Trang. End Note) Dr. Nguyen Huy Nga, Director of the General
Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, reviewed
the GVN's extensive (and expensive) response to avian influenza and
stressed Vietnam's commitment to sample sharing. Looking forward,
GVN pandemic preparedness would focus on strengthening national
surveillance and reporting, improving diagnostics and treatment,
upgrading behavior change communications, and supporting health
systems at district levels.

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
--------------


5. (SBU) Vice Minister Vu Van Tam noted that the initial avian
influenza outbreaks in 2003-04 cost Vietnam 0.5 percent of its GDP
at that time. Since that time, the central government has spent
over USD 130 million (not including local government resources) to
respond to the virus, but still faced many challenges, notably the
difficulty in increasing the awareness of and changing behaviors in
small-scale poultry farmers. Though Tam stressed that animal
vaccinations remained the GVN's most effective response, the GVN
strategy called for reorganization of poultry farming and the
poultry supply chain to improve veterinary hygiene and food safety
from farm to fork. The Vice Minister welcomed Ambassador Loftis'
pledge of support for the 2010 IMCAPI and requested
technical/logistical support, along with financial backing, for an
event in March or April 2010. MARD is preparing a request to host
the Ministerial for submission to the Prime Minister. Upon
receiving approval (most likely in late May or early June),MARD

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would work with the USG and other donors to draft the agenda. Tam
agreed that Vietnam should share its experiences with other donors
and seemed receptive to Ambassador Loftis' requests that the
Ministerial review broader pandemic preparedness and other human
diseases of animal origin.

Model Biosecurity Poultry Village
--------------


6. (U) At Khoa Nhu village in nearby Hung Yen province, Ambassador
Loftis joined the monthly village meeting to discuss common
challenges to raising healthy poultry and prevent the spread of
avian influenza. With the assistance from USAID, and working
collectively, the community has improved village hygiene, farmers'
individual practices, and community-wide perceptions about the risks
and prevention of avian influenza. For instance, the community has
worked together to clean up canals around the village and ensure
that poultry waste is no longer dumped into this water source. All
households now bag poultry waste for weekly collection. USAID is
studying how to implement this successful model at poultry-raising
villages around the country.


7. (U) Ambassador Loftis did not have the opportunity to clear this
cable prior to departing Vietnam.

MICHALAK