VZCZCXRO4468
PP RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
DE RUEHKA #3887 1800944
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290944Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9154
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 7745
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7494
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1184
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8596
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 9191
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 2456
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA

UNCLAS DHAKA 003887 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S/ES-O/CMS,SCA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU AMGT ASEC CASC AMED AEMR BG
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: SITUATION UPDATE JUNE 21 
 
REF: A. A. STATE 219189 
 
     ¶B. B. NEW DELHI 01519 (AND PREVIOUS) 
     ¶C. C. DHAKA 006421 
 
¶1.  On June 21, the Mission Avian Influenza Working Group met 
to discuss updates to the preparedness stance at post and 
in-country.  Since Ref C reports, significant changes in the 
country's detection infrastructure have been planned.  The 
Department of Health and Human Services, has entered into a 
contract with the CDC-partnered ICDDR,B laboratory.  The 
three year proposed program will upgrade lab capabilities to 
be able to test 800-1000 specimens per month for HPAI.  CDC 
Representative, Steve Luby, said they hope the lab will be 
operational by October.  In addition, the program will fund 
expanded human surveillance, to 12 sites in all six divisions 
of Bangladesh.  CDC has also directly funded a program for 
poultry surveillance that focuses on outreach to NGOs.  It 
will ensure that data will be shared with BDG and USG at the 
same time.  According to Luby, "we're in a much different 
situation than we were six months ago.  It has been the USG 
that has stepped up" to fund needed programs. 
 
¶2.  In addition to funded items, ICDDR,B is working directly 
with the Ministry of Health to assist them in applying for 
available CDC funds.  A CDC team visited Dhaka the week of 
June 25th to work on their proposal.  Expenditures of about 
$1.7 million in USAID PL-480 funds are pending final approval 
by the BDG; the embassy is pressing for prompt action. 
Several million dollars have been earmarked from the Danish 
International Development Agency, Japan International 
Cooperation Agency, and the World Bank to be used towards 
implementation of the National Advisory Committee for Avian 
Influenza's National Plan.  Specific proposals have not been 
issued. 
 
¶3.  The Mission AI working group will continue to make 
preparations according to USG guidance.  The Consular Section 
continues to inform AmCits with emerging information, at Town 
Hall meetings, in warden messages and on the embassy website. 
 The group will meet again next month, or as needed. 
BUTENIS