RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT INTEREST IN EXPANDING HEALTH POLICY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MOSCOW 001181 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/RUS, EUR/PGI, OES/PCI, OES/IHB, OES/FO - N. Carter-Foste USAID FOR GH, E&E HHS FOR OGHA PASS TO NIH AND FDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO PREL EAID SOCI KHIV TSPL EAID KCRM PTER KFLU RS SUBJECT: RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT INTEREST IN EXPANDING HEALTH POLICY COOPERATION MOSCOW 00001181 001.2 OF 003 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (U) This is an action cable. Please see paragraph 13. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a welcome development, Russian health officials are expressing much more interest in cooperating with the United States on a wide range of health issues, including infectious and chronic disease control and prevention, vaccinations, and addressing public health threats in developing countries. At meetings on April 21 and 22 with representatives of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS),officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Development and from Russia's public health service Rospotrebnadzor indicated that the July presidential summit would be an excellent opportunity to advance a joint health agenda, possibly through a non-binding memorandum of understanding. END SUMMARY. INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL AND VACCINATIONS -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On April 21, Mary Lisa Madell, Director for Europe and Eurasia at DHHS's Office of Global Health Affairs; Dr. David Bull, Coordinator of the Biosecurity Engagement Program, Global Disease Detection and Emergency Response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and the Embassy's Health Officer and Health Specialist met with officials from Russia's Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor), including Dr. Galina Lazikova, Deputy Head of the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance, Dr. Alexander Kucherenko, Head of the Division of International Cooperation, and Vyacheslav Smolenskiy, Deputy Head of the Department of Science and International Cooperation. Rospotrebnadzor specializes in infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control. ¶4. (SBU) Both sides agreed that current bilateral cooperation, including in HIV/AIDS, forms an excellent basis for future collaboration. Dr. Lazikova also expressed interest in U.S. experience with measles, tuberculosis (especially multidrug resistant TB),hepatitis B (HBV),and national vaccination schedules. Dr. Lazikova explained that measles is now extremely rare in Russia, with only 27 cases reported in 2008. Russian researchers identified five serotypes in the country in 2008. Lazikova noted that Russia is in the process of applying to WHO for certification as a measles-free country, adding that Rospotrebnadzor would like to learn about U.S. experience with measles elimination, particularly as both countries face the issue of measles cases "imported" through immigration. ¶5. (SBU) Dr. Lazikova said Rospotrebnadzor is also interested in learning about U.S. experience with vaccinations, particularly for hepatitis B. Russian scientists favor a vaccine based on locally circulating strains, as they are observing reduced vaccination efficacy and the appearance of mutant strains. Dr. Lazikova expressed interest in U.S. experience with vaccinations that are not included in the Russian national immunization schedule, primarily HiB, and varivax, including results and any adverse side-effects. Smolenskiy suggested possible U.S.-Russian cooperation in developing countries, but didn't specify in which areas. ¶6. (SBU) Smolenskiy said that cooperation could proceed bilaterally under a framework akin to the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission and multilaterally within the G8. Kucherenko recalled that Rospotrebnadzor head Gennadiy Onishchenko had discussed a possible memorandum of understanding with CDC when he visited CDC headquarters in Atlanta in 2008. Smolenskiy said that the July 2009 meeting of the U.S. and Russian presidents presents an opportunity to advance bilateral collaboration in public health, and that Rospotrebnadzor is ready to consider U.S. proposals in this vein. COOPERATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Dr. Bull described increased interest in the United States following the anthrax attacks in promoting cooperation between public health and law enforcement entities, particularly cooperation MOSCOW 00001181 002.2 OF 003 in epidemiological and criminal investigations. New U.S. legislation, the Pandemic and All Hazards Act of 2006, further spurred joint exercises and plans for joint responses to natural or man-made disasters. Dr. Lazikova shared examples from the Russian side, including the high-level group established to monitor highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza and the upgrading of response capability of the sanitary anti-epidemic teams. HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND TRAFFIC SAFETY -------------- ¶8. (SBU) On April 22, Mary Lisa Madell and Embassy's Health Specialist met with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Social Development (MOHSD) led by Ivan Dubov, Director of the Department of International Cooperation. Dubov was joined by Galina Alekseyeva, Deputy Director of the Department of Organization and Development of Health Care; Sergey Korablev, Head of the Office of Product Safety, Consumer Protection and Technical Regulation in the Department of Health Protection and Sanitary-Epidemiological Welfare; Igor Titov, Deputy Head of the Office of Special Programs in the Department of Health Protection; Elena Talanova in the Department of International Cooperation; and Aleksandr Denisov, Chief of Protocol. ¶9. (SBU) The MOHSD representatives identified three areas as the most promising for increased cooperation with the United States: control of infectious diseases, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and medical assistance to victims of traffic accidents. (Note: Because MOHSD gives Rospotrebnadzor a large degree of autonomy on infectious diseases, the discussion with MOHSD focused chiefly on the latter two issues. End Note.) Dubov and the others stated that MOHSD's two priorities related to healthy lifestyles remain reducing alcohol abuse and curbing smoking. Russia has introduced a national program to improve response to traffic accident victims, and the MOHSD representatives expressed eagerness to learn about U.S. experience. (Note: On November 19-20, 2009 the Russian Federation will host and co-chair with the World Health Organization the first Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, requested by UNGA in 2008 to implement 2004 UNGA Resolution 58/289 (http://www.who.int/roadsafety/events/2009/19 _10_09/ en/index.html) End Note.) ¶10. (SBU) MOHSD echoed Rospotrebnadzor statements on U.S.-Russian cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks and expressed hope for enhanced cooperation. Both sides agreed to try to arrange a meeting between the U.S. and Russian delegations to the upcoming World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva on May 18-27. (Note: Deputy Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova will head the Russian delegation to the WHA meeting. End Note) ¶11. (SBU) Dubov suggested that a framework for cooperation such as a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) or intent (MOI) between MOHSD and DHHS could identify priority areas and means of cooperation. In addition to encompassing ongoing collaboration in HIV/AIDS, TB and other areas, Dubov declared that such a framework could expand and promote contacts between Russian and U.S. experts at scientific meetings. (Note: In 2004, Russia and the United States orally agreed not to extend the 1994 Agreement between the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in the Fields of Public Health and Biomedical Research signed by Secretary of State Christopher and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kozyrev because such cooperation could be carried out under the bilateral science and technology agreement. Embassy Moscow supports concluding a new, separate health agreement, but suggests that the new agreement be drafted in such a way as to allow cooperation with DHHS agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as non-DHHS agencies such as the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. End Note) ¶12. (SBU) Madell informed the MOHSD representatives that discussions on improving public health collaboration with Russia were underway within DHHS. She agreed to advise the relevant DHHS bodies -- including CDC, NIH, and FDA -- of MOHSD's priorities and MOSCOW 00001181 003.2 OF 003 to develop specific areas of technical collaboration to include in a potential MOU. (Note: During follow-up discussions, MOHSD contacts indicated that if a bilateral health working group were formed, the Russian side would most likely be led by Deputy Health Minister Skvortsova, rather than Minister Golikova. End Note) ¶13. (SBU) Comment and Action Request: The markedly more cooperative spirit of both meetings, and in particular with MOHSD, contrasted sharply with the Embassy's meetings in the fall when MOHSD interlocutors bluntly informed Emboffs that although the United States was the number one partner with which they wanted to collaborate, they could not discuss expanding cooperation until they received a political "green light." The Russian side was well prepared for both meetings and expectant to hear the U.S. response to their priorities in coming weeks. We recommend that the Department and interagency respond positively to these requests for expanded cooperation. ¶14. (U) This cable was based on notes drafted by HHS Mary Lisa Madell and was cleared by her. RUBIN