This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS CAIRO 009351 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EG PREL TBIO
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH BLOCKS SAMPLES FOR CDC 
FLU VACCINES 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The Egyptian Ministry of Health (MOH) is 
currently preventing the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit 
(NAMRU-3) in Cairo from bringing influenza tissue samples 
into Egypt for testing at NAMRU's labs.  Interventions at 
various levels have failed to move the GOE, significantly 
hampering NAMRU's work.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The GOE blocked avian tissue samples from Ukraine 
from entering the country on December 11.  Post intervened 
with the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs as well as 
the Prime Minister's Office in an unsuccessful effort to 
unblock the samples.  The MOH granted NAMRU-3 verbal approval 
on December 17 to import human samples from Baku, but 
rescinded its approval on December 18.  NAMRU-3 had 
experienced a similar problem in October, when the MOH 
blocked some avian tissue samples.  These samples were later 
released after discussions with Embassy officials but the GOE 
is proving less flexible now. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) NAMRU has been bringing tissue samples to Egypt for 
testing since the 1950s; such testing is central to NAMRU's 
work as a WHO reference laboratory.  This is the height of 
the flu season, and NAMRU is currently collecting samples 
from all countries in the region.  Other shipments of human 
samples will arrive from Kyrgyzstan on December 29, and 
Uzbekistan and Oman on December 26.  Quick testing of tissue 
samples is needed for tracking the spread of avian influenza, 
developing vaccines for ordinary human influenza, and for 
training.  NAMRU-3 does not expect to find any positive 
results for H5N1 avian influenza; the samples are used for 
detecting typical influenza strains.  The samples are coming 
from countries where there have been no confirmed cases of AI. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment: The blocking of avian tissue samples, 
while frustrating, is something that might have been overcome 
with time and working level discussion, as it was in October. 
 The shift in policy may be attributable to Ministry of 
Health Under Secretary Sayed Nasser's absence from the 
country for the past 2 weeks.  During this time his 
colleague, Under Secretary Magda Raka, has blocked all NAMRU 
samples apparently fearing a negative news story that Egypt 
is importing avian influenza through NAMRU.  With Nasser's 
expected return on December 20 we hope to reverse the new 
policy, but it is possible that Raka has lined up strong 
support at the Ministerial and even Prime Ministerial level. 
End comment. 
 
 
JONES