VZCZCXRO2973
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHHI #1551/01 2411711
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291711Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6213
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 3598
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3194
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5762
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 1258
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0825
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0322
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 1527
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP/ISA/AP//
RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-3//
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5//
RHEFAFM/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//
RUEHSUN/USUN ROME IT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001551 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, AIAG, OES/IHA, MED 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH 
STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (STIEGER/VALDEZ/BELL/HICKEY) 
CDC FOR OGHA (BLOUT/MCCALL) AND DIV-FLU (COX/MOHEN) 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (STERN) 
HHS PASS TO FIC/NIH (GLASS) 
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA), FSIS 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC (MALISON), USAID (MACARTHUR/BRADY) 
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE (ROSS) 
PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR(BRADY) 
VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR (CORWIN) 
ROME FOR FAO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR KFLU VM
SUBJECT: FAO-GVN REVIEW AVIAN INFLUENZA STRATEGY IN AGRICULTURAL 
SECTOR 
 
 
HANOI 00001551  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 
and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) 
recently concluded that Vietnam's overall approach to the control 
and prevention of highly pathologic avian influenza (HPAI) in 
poultry is sound and appropriate and recommended that Vietnam adopt 
a medium to long term approach to control and prevention.  MARD Vice 
Minister Bui Ba Bong emphasized the difficulty in eliminating the 
virus and the need for focused attention on transmission of HPAI 
through ducks, suggesting better containment, biosecurity, 
vaccination, and communication programs.  FAO Country Representative 
Andrew Speedy reinforced the need to develop a clearer vaccination 
strategy for 2008, increase investment in poultry sector 
improvements, and adopt best international practices.  End Summary. 
 
 
LESSONS LEARNED 
--------------- 
 
¶2. (U) As part of the FAO and MARD organized strategy review meeting 
on August 27-28,  U.N. Resident Coordinator John Hendra, MARD Vice 
Minister Bui Ba Bong and FAO Country Representative Andrew Speedy 
chaired a meeting of the Partnership in Avian and Human Influenza 
(PAHI).  During the meeting, MARD Vice Minister Bong emphasized the 
difficulty in totally eliminating the virus and the need for focused 
attention on transmission of HPAI through ducks, suggesting better 
containment of free range ducks, improved bio-security measures, 
more targeted vaccination extension, and strengthened mass 
communication to farmers and buyers.  VM Bong stated that Vietnam 
has about 70 million ducks - the second largest population in the 
world after China - and that roughly three-quarters of these ducks 
are free-range flocks that move over large areas. 
 
¶3. (U) MARD Department of Animal Health (DAH) Deputy Director Hoang 
Van Nam stated that the most recent (5th) wave of 2007 poultry 
outbreaks occurred in 21 provinces, primarily in the northern and 
southern deltas, and largely struck relatively small, unvaccinated 
poultry flocks -- particularly ducks.  Genetic sequencing and 
challenge trials of recent virus isolates undertaken in China 
indicated that the current poultry vaccines are still "effective." 
Between March and May 2007, 131.7 million poultry received 
vaccinations in 33 provincial high risk areas.  Nam noted several 
constraints to fighting avian influenza remain, including: lack of 
investor interest in improving poultry sector management practices; 
the difficulty in maintaining the high commitment and vigilance of 
farmers and local-level officials over periods of relatively limited 
outbreak activity; lack of farmer access to vaccination centers; and 
the inadequate capacity of veterinary services. 
 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
--------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Dr. Les Sims of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the 
Pacific in Bangkok presented the FAO-MARD technical group's 
recommendations on control and prevention of HPAI.  The group 
concluded that the overall approach to control and prevention of 
HPAI in poultry in Vietnam is sound and appropriate.  Dr. Sims 
stated that the GVN did not need to make major changes to its 
current program, but should look beyond the policies and practices 
in the Integrated Operational Program for Avian and Human Influenza, 
 
HANOI 00001551  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
or the "Green Book," and focus on a locally-appropriate medium to 
long-term approach.  This will require additional capacity building 
in veterinary services, appropriate changes in production and 
marketing in the poultry sector, and additional investments from the 
private sector, especially from larger producers.  He noted many 
high risk practices along the entire production and market chain 
that must be identified and either eliminated or reduced. 
 
¶5. (U) Building off conclusions of the U.N. Technical Workshop in 
Rome in June 2007, Dr. Sims outlined seven major recommendations, 
including: (1) ensuring vaccination of all grazing ducks; (2) 
developing models and market driven enhancements for increased farm 
bio-security; (3) improving behavioral change, certification and 
market-led controls to improve transportation of all agricultural 
products; (4) developing relatively simple enhancements to improve 
hygiene and market surveillance in live poultry markets; (5) 
enhancing hygiene and certification of hatcheries; (6) continuing 
poultry vaccination efforts for at least another five years, to 
review effectiveness annually and to shift the cost-burden of 
vaccinations from the GVN to farmers; (7) developing communication 
strategies that target specific occupational groups (e.g., farmers, 
transporters, market sellers, households) and different poultry 
sectors that focus on reinforcing behavioral change. 
 
¶6. (U) FAO Country Representative Andrew Speedy highlighted the need 
to develop a clearer vaccination strategy for 2008, continue 
investments to ensure the effectiveness of vaccinations, investigate 
best practices from Brazil and other countries to promote investment 
incentives in poultry production farms, strengthen controls on the 
movement of ducks, and improve field extension and field-level 
communications strategies.  UN Resident Coordinator Hendra applauded 
the GVN's transparency, but also emphasized the importance of a 
strong vaccination program, together with comprehensive surveillance 
and response measures, and noted the need to maintain donor support 
and technical assistance.  (Note: The USG continues to be heavily 
engaged in supporting these efforts.  USAID will soon provide an 
additional USD 8 million in grants to support the GVN's overall 
effort in biosecurity and public education.  End note.) 
 
¶7. (U) VM Bong stressed the GVN's willingness to provide animal and 
human H5N1 isolates to international reference laboratories upon 
request.  The GVN has also promised to work with MARD staff to make 
animal isolate sequencing information available on-line via the DAH 
website, the gene bank data base website, or directly in response to 
a specific request. 
 
MICHALAK