VZCZCXRO9979
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHHI #1841/01 2990909
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260909Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6584
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 3856
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
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 001841 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, INR, OES/STC, OES/IHA, MED 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH 
STATE PASS TO HHS/OGHA (WSTIEGER/LVALDEZ/DMILLER/CHICKEY) 
BANGKOK FOR USAID (OCARDUNER, JMACARTHUR, WBRADY) 
BANGKOK FOR APHIS (NCARDENAS), REO(JWALLER) 
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE (BROSS) 
CDC FOR COGH (SBLOUT) AND MCOHEN/RJSIMONDS/NCOX/TSINKS 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP (STERN) 
HHS PASS TO FIC/NIH (RGLASS) AND FDA (MPLAISER) 
PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR(WBRADY) 
ROME FOR FAO 
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA), FSIS 
VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR (ACORWIN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PROP SOCI TBIO EAID KHIV KFLU VM
 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MICHALAK AND NEW VIETNAMESE MINISTER OF HEALTH 
REVIEW COOPERATIVE EFFORTS 
 
HANOI 00001841  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: On October 25, Ambassador Michalak paid an 
introductory call on the new Minister of Health, Nguyen Quoc Trieu. 
After reviewing Trieu's strong political experience and connections, 
the Ambassador noted leading USG health cooperation priorities, 
particularly medication assisted therapy for intravenous drug users 
to prevent HIV infection and avian and pandemic influenza 
preparedness. Trieu stressed long-term objectives such as health 
financing goals and the development of a private health sector, 
along with short-term goals for infectious disease prevention, food 
safety, and the need for investment in hospitals and training 
investment.  Trieu sought increased U.S. assistance to support 
Vietnamese food safety efforts and requested U.S. and NGO support 
for the construction of increased hospital capacity.  End Summary. 
 
Minister Trieu's Background 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Though Trieu has a medical degree and significant health 
care experience, he has spent much of his professional life outside 
of the health arena.  He obtained a doctorate of philosophy in 
"socio-politics" in Moscow and just finished his term as Chair of 
the Hanoi People's Committee.  Though he referred to himself 
colloquially as the "Mayor of Hanoi," Trieu defended his medical 
credentials.  The Ambassador noted the value of Trieu's non-medical 
experience in tackling the current problems of the Ministry of 
Health (MOH).  The Minister is a member of the Communist Party and 
has visited the United States several times. 
 
HIV and PEPFAR 
-------------- 
¶3. (SBU) After introducing the comprehensive U.S.-supported HIV/AIDS 
programs under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief 
(PEPFAR), the Ambassador focused on medication assisted therapy 
(MAT), including the use of methadone, and highlighted the delayed 
initiation of a PEPFAR-sponsored pilot program.  Trieu made little 
reference to HIV/AIDS or to PEPFAR programs other than to state that 
"Vietnam is appreciative of PEPFAR and Clinton Foundation support," 
lumping together these two disparate efforts.  The Ambassador 
suggested that the U.S. Health Attache return to introduce the newly 
arrived PEPFAR Coordinator, Jim Sarns, to Vice Minister Trinh Quan 
Huan at an early date. 
 
Public Health Issues 
-------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) The Ambassador praised the Government of Vietnam's (GVN) 
efforts to respond to and prepare for avian and pandemic influenza, 
indicating that Vietnam has instituted a model approach worthy of 
global attention, founded on partnership and information and sample 
sharing.  As an example of broad-based contribution to the 
development of public health capacity, the Ambassador pointed to the 
start of the World Health Organization Epidemiology Training Program 
(FETP) with the MOH's Vietnam Administration of Preventive Medicine 
department, which receives USAID and AusAID funding and CDC 
technical assistance.  Trieu broadly addressed avian influenza 
several times by pointing to the MOH priority to prepare for 
"natural disasters and epidemics," including severe acute 
respiratory syndrome (SARS) and avian influenza. 
 
Minister Trieu's First 85 Days 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) Trieu detailed three accomplishments from his first 85 days 
in office.  First, he secured approval from the National Assembly to 
 
HANOI 00001841  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
issue government bonds valued at 5000 billion Vietnamese dong 
(VND)(approximately USD 310 million) to upgrade 387 of Vietnam's 659 
district hospitals by 2009.  Second, the Vietnam Development and 
Investment Bank committed to provide 1600 billion VND (approximately 
USD 100 million) in soft loans to upgrade central and national 
hospitals.  Finally, Trieu has begun to address the tremendous need 
for human resource development and asked for U.S. NGO-based 
resources to support medical training.  The Ambassador pointed out 
the experience and capacity of U.S. companies to provide technical 
assistance in the areas of medical equipment and hospital 
management. 
 
The Minister's Platform 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Trieu described two long-term priorities:  health care 
financing and development of the private health care sector.  Trieu 
acknowledged the limits of the GVN overall national budget, which 
currently appropriates 8 USD per citizen on health care (6.2 percent 
of the total national budget), and Vietnam's poor ranking by the 
World Health Organization (187 out of 190 nations) national 
investment in health.  With poor domestic investment, Trieu 
recognized the concordant dependency of many health care programs on 
international donor and project support.  Further, he referenced the 
need to "mobilize the non-public" sector by providing "encouragement 
through the creation of favorable conditions for private providers." 
 Despite listing private health care financing and development as 
priorities, the Minister offered no proposed initiative or 
solutions.  In contrast to the priorities of his predecessor, Trieu 
did not mention public health function specifically and strategies 
that target the poor. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Trieu stressed three short-term priorities, including the 
prevention of epidemic infectious diseases such as SARS and avian 
influenza, improved food safety controls, requesting U.S. Food and 
Drug Administration (FDA) assistance for the latter.  The Ambassador 
raised the possibility of enhanced future cooperation in food 
safety. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) As expected, Trieu focused on the prevention and control of 
infectious epidemics.  Trieu's appeal for U.S. food safety 
assistance follows a detailed request recently submitted to the 
Embassy by the MOH Food Administration Department.  This week, Prime 
Minister Dung highlighted food safety issues in his recent annual 
address to the National Assembly, reflecting the growing importance 
the GVN places on this issue.  Though lumping PEPFAR and Clinton 
Foundation support together might indicate insufficient 
understanding of HIV coordination, more likely it reflects that 
Trieu is still working his way up the learning curve in his new 
position.  We welcome Trieu's focus on health financing, but await 
more concrete proposals.  The Ambassador concluded with "USG health 
developments efforts must contribute to general strengthening of the 
health system."  End comment. 
 
MICHALAK