VZCZCXRO9758
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RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
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RUEORDA/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//MA-1A//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000043 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, AIAG, OES/IHA, MED 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH 
CDC FOR OGHA AND DIV-FLU 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP 
HHS PASS TO FIC/NIH 
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA), FSIS 
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID 
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE AND RMO 
PHNOM PENH FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR 
VIENTIANE FOR CDC INFLUENZA COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO AMED AMGT CASC EAGR PINR KFLU CH
SUBJECT: Guangdong's AI Strategy: Raising Awareness and 
Strengthening Communication 
 
REF: A. Guangzhou 1048; B. Hong Kong 2443; C. Guangzhou 1070; D. 
 
Guangzhou 1075; E. Guangzhou 1279; F. Beijing 7401; Beijing 7567 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: At the end of 2007, Guangdong provincial authorities 
announced a new AI prevention plan to increase public awareness, 
test response strategies, and ensure regional communication and 
cooperation. Also of some interest is the province's new emergency 
awareness website (www.gdemo.gov.cn), which will quickly disseminate 
information regarding public emergencies, and is designed to help 
curb the spread of misinformation. End summary. 
 
------------------------------------ 
'Beefing Up' the Prevention Strategy 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (U) In the wake of two reported cases of avian influenza in 
Jiangsu province (ref. F), and the possibility of AI outbreaks this 
winter and spring, Guangdong authorities are focusing heavily on 
'readiness' levels as part of their AI prevention plan.   Guangdong 
authorities held an informal press conference in late 2007 to update 
local Consulates on the AI situation.  The official statement 
outlined a five-fold prevention strategy: 
-- all principal leaders in the provincial, municipal, and district 
governments will play a role in their respective AI emergency 
response teams; they will be assessed by their direct supervisors on 
their participation and job performance; 
-- a stockpile of at least 50 million doses of AI vaccines and 300 
tons of disinfectant will be maintained for routine and emergency 
use; 
-- Guangdong province will enforce a compulsory vaccination program; 
AI vaccines will only be purchased from Ministry of 
Agriculture-approved manufacturers and used according to government 
vaccination guidelines; 
-- AI surveillance will be increased; and -- there will be an 
increased focus on emergency awareness via lectures, training, and 
media publicity. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Strengthening Emergency Notification 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) On December 18, the Guangdong provincial government 
launched an emergency awareness website (www.gdemo.gov.cn).  The 
website, managed by the provincial government's Emergency Management 
Office, will quickly disseminate information regarding public 
emergencies, and is designed to help curb the spread of 
misinformation.  The site covers public health crises such as AI, as 
well as other emergencies including natural disaster, major 
accidents, and crime.  The website uses a disaster alert coloring 
system rating incidents from blue (normal) to red (very high).   In 
addition, HE Jianfeng, of Guangdong's Center for Disease Control 
(CDC), told us that 112,000 printed brochures were distributed 
promoting AI education. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Heightened Communication and Collaboration 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) According to LIN Jinyan, Deputy Director General of the 
Guangdong CDC, his organization publishes and distributes a 
bi-weekly internal newsletter regarding infectious disease outbreaks 
to all levels of the Guangdong Department of Health and to other 
provincial CDCs, as well as to health authorities in Hong Kong and 
Macao. 
 
¶5. (U) Guangdong CDC has strengthened its disease surveillance and 
prevention program by forming a collaborative relationship with the 
World Health Organization (WHO) for surveillance, research, and 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000043  002 OF 002 
 
 
training of emerging infectious diseases including influenza.  This 
first ever WHO collaboration center in China aims to develop and 
implement training programs for Guangdong and provinces in the 
south. 
 
---------------------- 
Practice Makes Perfect 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) On December 11, Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang 
Autonomous Region held a joint AI emergency drill, following reports 
of two human AI cases in Jiangsu Province (ref. F).  Performed under 
the auspices of the provincial Department's of Health, the exercise 
specifically targeted response readiness and cross-provincial 
cooperation and communication. The exercise scenario, in which two 
family members in Guangdong Province were "infected" with avian 
influenza, and were in close contact with family members in Guangxi, 
nearly mirrored the Jiangsu incident reported earlier in the month. 
According to WU Yueqi, Director of Guangdong's Department of Health 
Emergency Response Office, post-exercise evaluations showed good 
cooperation between the two jurisdictions, an important factor in 
the AI prevention program. 
 
GOLDBERG