VZCZCXRO8669
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #1194/01 1380047
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180047Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1982
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 1136
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 2928
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 5509
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG PRIORITY 0911
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU PRIORITY 0675
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU PRIORITY 0234
RUEHRO/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 1370
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHRC/USDA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP// PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-3//
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RHEFAFM/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 001194 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, EAP/EX, EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, 
OES/STC (PBATES), OES/IHA (DSINGER AND NCOMELLA), AND MED 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH (DCARROLL, SCLEMENTS AND 
PCHAPLIN) 
STATE PASS TO USTR  (DBISBEE) 
STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER, EELVANDER AND ABHAT) 
USDA PASS TO APHIS 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (LSTERN) 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID (MFRIEDMAN, JMACARTHUR AND 
MBRADY) 
ROME FOR FAO 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR SOCI VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM - MAY 15 AVIAN INFLUENZA REPORT 
 
 
HANOI 00001194  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - DO NOT POST ON INTERNET 
 
REF: A. HANOI 916 AND PREVIOUS  B. HANOI 1070 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Representatives from 21 APEC economies 
gathered in Danang, Vietnam at the AI Ministerial meeting to 
once again affirm their commitment to support affected APEC 
countries to prevent additional human cases and new 
outbreaks in poultry caused by avian influenza.  Ambassador 
John Lange, co-lead of the U.S. delegation, stressed the 
need for rapid and transparent reporting of cases and 
sharing of data and specimens.  Following the Ministerial 
meeting, 20 Southeast Asia and South Asia-based scientists 
and administrators from the Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) met in Hanoi with the Acting Director of the 
HHS International Influenza Unit, Dr. Michael St. Louis, to 
discuss ongoing and planned HHS-AI activities in the region. 
End summary. 
 
USG Activities 
-------------- 
 
¶2. (U) High-level representatives from the 21 APEC economies 
gathered in Danang, Vietnam, to attend the APEC Ministerial 
on Avian Influenza.  Ambassador John Lange and Under 
Secretary Charles Lambert (USDA) led the U.S. delegation. 
 
SIPDIS 
The Ministerial coincided with the roll-out of the U.S. 
Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic 
Influenza (formally announced on May 3, 2006).  Ambassador 
Lange informed the participants of the plan, noting that 
commitment to international preparedness is a key element. 
In his address to the forum and in bilateral meetings, the 
Ambassador stressed the importance of transparent and rapid 
reporting of cases, sharing of data and specimens and 
cooperation.  USG delegates developed and commented on the 
meeting's Action Plan, which was accepted by the delegates. 
 
¶3. (U) During the meeting, Vietnam received many 
commendations from delegates for their ability to quell AI 
in the country.  Minister of Agriculture and Rural 
Development, Cao Duc Phat, acknowledged the praise, but 
noted that Vietnam must stay vigilant to the ever-present 
threat of the disease and continue with plans to reduce the 
risk of the chance of further disease.  Minister Phat 
introduced to the delegates Vietnam's recently released 
`Green Book' (Ref B).  Although it was not distributed, he 
noted that this document provides the road map for future 
actions for preventing widespread AI in Vietnam.  He also 
noted that it will take financing to achieve the goals set 
forth in the plan and announced that Vietnam will hold a 
donor meeting in the next 2-3 weeks.  (Note: The `Green 
Book' was revised as part of a World Bank assessment 
conducted in Vietnam, in April, 2006.  End note.)  This 
meeting was well attended by both the local and 
international press.  Reporters were even permitted to 
follow the delegates onto the chicken farm, appropriately 
clad, of course, in head-to-toe personal protective 
equipment (PPE). 
 
¶4. (U) On May 8-9, following the AI Ministerial, 20 
Southeast Asia and South Asia-based scientists and 
 
HANOI 00001194  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
administrators from HHS met in Hanoi with the Acting 
Director of the HHS International Influenza Unit, Dr. 
Michael St. Louis.  The group discussed existing and planned 
HHS and USAID-funded programs and activities designed to 
address critical needs related to Avian Influenza in the 
region.  Dr. St. Louis held discussions on a new monitoring 
and evaluation activity that will accompany AI funding and 
solicited the group's input on the types of indicators to 
measure the success of the AI programs. 
 
Other Activities in Vietnam 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) As of May 11, 2006: 
 
-- No human AI deaths since October 29, 2005. 
-- No human AI cases since November 14, 2005 (Note: this GVN 
official date is five days later than date previously 
reported in reftel.  End note.). 
-- No AI outbreaks in poultry since the last reported 
incidents on Dec. 17, 2005, in Cao Bang Province. 
 
¶6. (U) Vietnam continues to actively develop national 
capability to produce vaccines for poultry and test vaccines 
imported from other countries.  Truong Van Dung, Director of 
Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 
(MARD), presented an update on a pilot project to test and 
scale up production of a poultry vaccine against the H5N1 
avian influenza virus by two Vietnamese veterinary medicine 
companies.  Together the companies have produced 200,000 
doses.  While the test data has not been shared with Post, 
Dr. Dung reported that the vaccines worked relatively well 
in chickens.  The Institute would also like to conduct 
studies to test vaccine efficacy in ducks and one-day-old 
white winged ducks.  (Note: Vietnam would like to become 
self-sufficient in the production of poultry vaccines for 
avian influenza.  However, current vaccine manufacturing 
capacity is low and, even though the Ministry has the land 
to build a production facility, funding to support its 
construction is lacking. End note.) 
 
¶7. (U) Concurrent with development and testing of a 
domestically-produced vaccine, MARD scientists are testing 
an Italian vaccine for its efficacy in geese and swans. 
This work is expected to conclude in August, 2006. 
 
¶8. (U) MARD reported that its second poultry vaccination 
campaign is currently ongoing.  In this round, more than 70 
million fowl located in 57 provinces have received the first 
of two inoculations. 
 
¶9. (U) Vietnam's cities continue to conduct drills to 
prepare for pandemic influenza.  On May 7, the Mekong Delta 
City of Can Tho staged a response exercise involving more 
than 200 personnel from the health service, police, army and 
local militia forces.  The event was televised on local 
channels to enhance community awareness of the disease 
threat and encourage preparedness.  The video tape of the 
event will be available for use in additional training 
exercises. 
 
 
HANOI 00001194  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶10. (U) Despite this commitment, some are reportedly 
capitalizing on the availability of funds for AI response 
for personal gain.  News reports noted that top health 
department officials in the Mekong Delta Province of Bac 
Lieu embezzled more than USD 62,000 by forging bills for 
equipment valued at USD 29,000 intended for use in AI 
prevention.  The reports did not reveal the source of the 
funding. 
 
BOARDMAN