TFFLU01: CONFUSION SURROUNDS GOK'S STRINGENT H1N1

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000449 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, OES/UHB, MED, AIAG STATE PASS TO AID HHS FOR OGHA HHS PASS TO CDC USDA PASS TO APHIS AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB OFFICER BAGHDAD FOR ESTH E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2019 TAGS: KFLU AEMR ASEC AMED CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL, PINR, AMGT, TF, KU SUBJECT: TFFLU01: CONFUSION SURROUNDS GOK'S STRINGENT H1N1 MEASURES REF: KUWAIT 436 Classified By: EconCouns Oliver John for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary and Comment: Post's daily interactions with Ministry of Health (MOH) officials since April 30 have yielded conflicting and inconsistent statements and policies regarding the GOK's H1N1 measures, particularly as they relate to the obligations of passengers arriving from affected countries. Post continues to push for definitive MOH procedures, yet it is clear to emboffs that MOH's leadership has not adopted a coordinated set of procedures; the lack of a full-time Minister -- and the focus on upcoming parliamentary elections -- is clearly not helping matters. Separately, a meeting with an MOH Assistant Under Secretary May 3 produced a set of understandings regarding the GOK's H1N1 measures and USG military and diplomatic personnel. Ambassador will convey these understandings in a letter to the acting Minister of Health. End Summary and Comment. ¶2. (SBU) Contrary to information provided to emboffs by the MOH on April 30 (reftel),Post confirmed May 1 that the GOK is implementing stringent H1N1 Influenza-related measures at Kuwait International Airport which include passenger scanning (for high temperatures),health questionnaires ("Health Surveillance Cards"),and a requirement for all arriving passengers to visit a GOK clinic with 72 hours of arrival. Text on the Health Surveillance Cards states that noncompliance with the latter requirement will result in imprisonment and/or fines. On May 4, Post learned that MOH clinics are instructing people who come with health surveillance cards within 72 hours to make a second visit to a GOK clinic within seven days of arrival. This additional requirement, which a senior MOH official confirmed in a telephone conversation with econoff, was not mentioned at two meetings held on April 30 and May 3 between emboffs and senior MOH officials. ¶3. (SBU) Emboffs met with ARCENT miloffs May 2 to discuss the aforementioned GOK measures and the possible impact thereof on U.S. military operations in Kuwait and Iraq, as well as the effects on commercial flight crews, on U.S. Federal Air Marshalls and on other USG personnel traveling to, and via, Kuwait. ¶4. (SBU) Emboffs and ARCENT miloffs met May 3 with MOH Assistant Under Secretary Ali Alsaif, MOH Deputy Director of Public Health Yousef Mundekar and MOH Chief of Ports and Borders Health Division Dr. Hameed Gholoum Mohammad. Dr. Alsaif and his colleagues confirmed that the GOK is abiding by the more stringent measures currently in place at the airport, including the requirement for passengers arriving from affected countries to visit an MOH clinic within 72 hours of arrival in Kuwait. ¶5. (SBU) When asked about procedures for U.S. military personnel, Dr. Alsaif and Dr. Mundekar stated that such personnel could satisfy the clinic reporting requirement (within 72 hours of arrival) by undertaking a diagnostic visit to a U.S. Department of Defense medical facility. Similarly, the MOH officials said, U.S. Embassy personnel and those traveling on diplomatic or official travel should visit the Embassy clinic, rather than an MOH clinic. In such cases, the military and Embassy health officers should sign and stamp the individual's health surveillance card and send all such cards to the Ministry of Health's Infectious Diseases Department once a week. The MOH officials recommended that military and diplomatic travelers should annotate their health surveillance cards accordingly, e.g., military personnel should write "U.S. MILITARY FORCES" at the top of the card. ¶6. (SBU) Dr. Alsaif and Dr. Mundekar said that passengers arriving for the purposes of transit or for visits of duration of less than 72 hours do not need to visit a GOK clinic. Such passengers should clearly indicate on their health surveillance cards the number of hours they expect to KUWAIT 00000449 002 OF 002 be in Kuwait. Emboffs suggested that a copy of such passengers, health surveillance cards be left with an appropriate MOH official at the airport. In the case of transiting military personnel and other USG employees and contractors flying out of DoD-run air bases, Post will propose that copies of such individuals, health surveillance cards be deposited in a drop box at such airports; the U.S. Army or Air Force would then forward such forms to the Ministry of Health on a weekly basis. ¶7. (SBU) Emboffs commended the MOH officials on their contingency planning for a pandemic, and emphasized the USG interest in working closely with the GOK in contending with the challenges posed by threat of an H1N1 flu pandemic. ¶8. (SBU) Ambassador will send a letter May 5 to the acting Minister of Health, Dr. Moudhi Abdulaziz Al-Homoud, outlining the understandings reached at the above-mentioned meeting. Seperately, Post will continue to elicit written guidelines from the GOK regarding the MOH's clinic reporting requirements. ********************************************* ********* For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: visit Kuwait's Classified Website at: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it ********************************************* ********* JONES