VZCZCXRO7852
RR RUEHBI RUEHCI
DE RUEHLM #1055/01 3291127
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241127Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
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INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
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RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3038
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0856
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001055 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO KSTH ECON PREL SOCI EAGR CASC WHO CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPARATIONS CONTINUE 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Sri Lankan health officials continue 
preparations to prevent an Avian Influenza (AI) outbreak in country. 
 Repeated incidence of the disease in the region places Sri Lanka at 
risk of AI.  Animal health authorities maintain monitoring 
activities while the Ministry of Health has increased human 
influenza surveillance in selected hospitals.  Several donors, 
including the USG, are funding training and equipment supply 
programs to assist animal and human health officials to both prevent 
and prepare for a possible AI outbreak.  While to date there have 
been no detections of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, 
low path avian influenza is present in wild birds and some poultry. 
Health officials remain concerned about transmission to Sri Lanka's 
north, where surveillance is difficult due to the ongoing conflict, 
via infected migratory birds from South India.  Although Sri Lanka 
is on high alert, its ability to deal with a large scale outbreak 
could be hindered by a lack of resources.  End Summary. 
 
Country Risk Assessment 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Although Sri Lanka is an island nation, the World Health 
Organization (WHO), a key member of the government's task force on 
AI, and others consider highly pathogenic AI (HPAI) a serious threat 
to Sri Lanka.  The large poultry industry, the prevalence of 
backyard poultry farming, the presence of a significant number of 
migratory birds, and the recent avian influenza outbreaks in India 
are key risk factors.  No highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has been 
detected in animals or humans in Sri Lanka; however, low path AI is 
common among wild birds and some commercial poultry. 
 
¶3.  (U) Dr. Hendrikus Raaijmakers, WHO Emergency Health Management 
Specialist, informed post that there is the possibility of an 
outbreak of HPAI during the current migratory season given its 
occurrence in the region.  To date, Sri Lanka remains in the first 
phase of the global pandemic:  no new influenza virus sub-types have 
been detected in humans.  Even if the virus is present in animals, 
the risk of human infection is considered to be low. 
 
Government Initiatives in AI Prevention 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Sri Lanka established a National Preparedness Plan (NPP) to 
deal with the threat of AI in 2006.  According to Dr. Raaijmakers, 
total funding required under this plan is around USD 16 million. 
The NPP is designed to enable the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka to 
prepare for its necessary response in the event of an influenza 
pandemic.  The plan describes the strategies and activities to be 
undertaken by the Ministry of Health, in close collaboration with 
the Ministry of Livestock, other key ministries, and related 
stakeholders in preparation for and in response to an outbreak of 
HPAI.   The NPP includes detailed planning and coordination, 
surveillance, prevention and control, health system response and 
risk communication strategies.  An inter-agency joint technical 
committee, comprising of representatives of the Ministry of Health 
and the Ministry of Livestock Development's Department of Animal 
Health, was formed and is responsible for implementing necessary 
measures to prevent an occurrence of HPAI and developing contingency 
plans for use in the event of an outbreak.  An island-wide HPAI 
awareness campaign and development program is underway for animal 
health and MOH officials, the poultry industry, and farmers.  It 
includes information on signs to look for in sick birds/humans and 
response procedures to be followed if poultry, wild birds and/or 
humans indicate influenza symptoms.  Emergency response teams have 
been established to respond to unusual deaths of birds and poultry 
and lab facilities have been upgraded to detect HPAI. 
 
¶5. (U) In light of recent outbreaks in India, surveillance programs 
have been intensified for the current migratory season.  According 
to Dr. Paba Palihawadana, the government's acting chief 
epidemiologist, observation activities for influenza in humans are 
underway in 20 hospitals identified as sentinel sites.  Surveillance 
activities carried out on poultry and wild birds have also been 
increased.  Additional training for medical staff, stockpiling of 
anti viral drugs in the selected hospitals, regular testing of 
samples, and strengthening of port quarantine measures are also 
 
COLOMBO 00001055  002 OF 003 
 
 
underway. 
 
Demand for Poultry 
------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) Retailer's reported a 15 percent drop in demand immediately 
after bird flu was reported in India earlier this year.  The 
President of the Sri Lanka All Island Poultry Association, D.D. 
Wanasinghe, states that sales at live markets and processed chicken 
recorded a 15 percent drop in recent months.  Industry officials are 
concerned that a drop in demand could lead to farmers compromising 
feed and other inputs to reduce costs.  Feed is the costliest input 
in domestic chicken production which results in high retail prices, 
causing a reduced demand.  However, demand reduction for poultry can 
also be attributed to existing high inflation which is reducing 
consumer spending power.  Current retail prices of whole chicken 
average $3.50/kilo.  The average Sri Lankan finds it difficult to 
consume animal protein on a regular basis, given the relatively high 
prices of these items. 
 
Donor Assistance for AI programs 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Director General of DAPH, Dr. Swarna Herath, appreciates of 
the role played by international donors to support the government's 
efforts in implementing an effective AI prevention and surveillance 
plan.  Dr. J. Dharmawardana, the Director of Veterinary Research 
Institute (VRI) informed post that USDA funding for training 
opportunities, particularly the in-country programs carried out by 
the USDA experts, were instrumental in standardizing and developing 
protocols for effective laboratory testing and detection for HPAI. 
 
¶8. (SBU) USDA is not alone in allocating resources to aid Sri Lanka 
in combating AI.  Several donors, including USAID, USDA, FAO, WHO, 
and the World Bank, play key roles in assisting the government to 
implement an AI prevention and control programs in the country. 
Specifically: 
--WHO provides technical assistance and consultancy on human health 
aspect of AI. 
--USAID, in collaboration with FAO and the Department of Animal 
Production and Health (DAPH), provided nearly USD 
1,000,000 to strengthen early warning and early response capacity 
and provide critical preparedness materials and equipment to 
Department of Animal Production and Health and other stakeholders. 
--USDA provided training for several animal health officials in the 
U.S. and Taiwan, and supported experts in attending in-country 
practical training programs. 
--World Bank provided a grant of USD 1.2 million to assist with the 
NPP. 
 
Gaps in Preparations 
---------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Technical cooperation among relevant government agencies, 
donors and other stakeholders is well coordinated.  Donors are 
providing necessary financial resources to help the government 
upgrade its AI prevention and detection facilities and to build 
capacity.  Local authorities have made commendable progress in 
improving capacity for HPAI detection in animals and humans. 
Inter-agency cooperation among government departments, a rarity in 
Sri Lanka, is excellent. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Unfortunately, Dr. Raaijmakers reports that high level 
political commitment for AI has declined in recent years due to the 
absence of an AI outbreak.  Implementation of the preparedness plan 
is slow; in particular, the communication component to general 
population needs to be expedited.  Additionally, surveillance in the 
Northern Province is not at required levels because of a lack of 
animal health officials in the area due to the ongoing conflict. 
 
COMMENT 
-------- 
 
¶11. (U) Sri Lanka's preparations for AI are progressing 
satisfactorily.  It is key, however, that the preparedness plan be 
 
COLOMBO 00001055  003 OF 003 
 
 
fully implemented to mitigate the impact of an outbreak; extensive 
surveillance is vital to achieve this objective.  Continued USG 
assistance to provide equipment and training for GSL officials will 
support the country's commendable efforts to date in dealing with 
the threat of AI. 
 
BLAKE