VZCZCXRO3433
RR RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHKU #0208/01 0520912
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 210912Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0853
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 1938
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 1089

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000208 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AIAG, NEA/ARP, NEA/RA; MED FOR AMCFADDEN; CAIRO 
FOR LINDA LOGAN; AMMAN FOR MANU BHALLA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMED CASC KFLU TBIO KU
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: EMBASSY CONVENES AIWG, 
PRESENTS PREPAREDNESS PLAN 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Embassy's medical unit and medical units from 
Army Central Command (ARCENT) and 386 Air Expeditionary Wing 
(386 AEW) presented their Avian Influenza preparedness plans 
at the Avian Influenza Working Group (AIWG) meeting on 
February 7.  Participants discussed areas of collaboration 
and ways to modify each plan based on the other plans 
presented.  The group decided to invite relevant GOK 
officials to the next AIWG meeting to discuss GOK AI 
planning.  The group also decided to meet with 
representatives from the United Nations, WHO and other 
international organizations that work in Kuwait on AI issues. 
 Post also held AI preparedness information sessions for the 
Embassy community on February 3.  On January 31, embassy met 
with U.S. military AI expert, who highlighted Kuwait's lack 
of capabilities in handling an AI outbreak.  End Summary. 
 
Coordinating U.S. Military and Embassy Plans and Resources 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶2.  Econoff convened the mission's first AIWG meeting of the 
year on February 7.  Embassy's medical unit presented its AI 
preparedness plan to the group, which includes medical 
officers from ARCENT, 386 AEW, Office of Military Cooperation 
- Kuwait(OMC-K), and other sections of the Embassy. 
Embassy's plan includes early prevention measures and 
shelter-in-place as important components.  ARCENT, based at 
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, also presented its plan, which 
highlighted similar measures.  386 AEW, based at Ali Al-Salem 
Airbase, outlined its plan for supporting ARCENT and the 
embassy in case of an outbreak.  This meeting was the first 
step towards collaborating on a joint plan that identifies 
roles of the various USG elements in Kuwait in case of an 
outbreak. 
 
¶3.  The AIWG decided that, in order to create a comprehensive 
plan, we need to know more about GOK AI planning and 
tripwires. (Note: Embassy has contacted GOK officials in the 
Ministry of Health (MOH) and Public Authority for Agriculture 
Affairs and Fisheries Resources (PAAAFR) to discuss GOK's AI 
plan.  We believe the GOK does not have a comprehensive, 
written plan to handle a pandemic flu or avian flu outbreak. 
End Note).  The group decided to invite MOH and PAAAFR 
officials to the next AIWG meeting, to be held in late March, 
to discuss AI planning.  This will be an opportunity for the 
embassy to present its plan to the GOK and encourage the GOK 
to prepare its own comprehensive plan.  The group also 
decided to invite UN and WHO officials to a future AIWG 
meeting. 
 
Educating the Embassy Community 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  On February 3, in an effort to improve awareness and 
education regarding Pandemic Influenza and AI, embassy's 
medical unit held two information sessions for the embassy 
community in which the medical unit staff outlined the risks 
of AI and provided an overview of the embassy's plan.  These 
sessions served as useful tools for educating the community 
about potential risks and dispelling fears that many members 
of the community had about such an outbreak.  Due to the 
success of these meetings, the medical unit has decided to 
expand these sessions to local international schools and 
other interested communities. 
 
Regional Experts Visit 
---------------------- 
 
¶5.  On January 31, econoff and embassy medical unit met with 
Navy LT Douglas Searles, Biochemist and AI/PI Molecular 
Diagnostic Expert from Navy Medical Research Unit 
(NAMRU)-Cairo and LCDR Danny Shaiu, Naval Officer in Charge 
of Preventive Medicine Unit, ARCENT, to discuss avian 
influenza preparedness in Kuwait.  LT Searles was sent to 
Pakistan during the outbreak in late December 2007 to test a 
reported human-to-human transmission case.  LT Searles 
discussed lessons learned from the Pakistan outbreak and ways 
to improve capabilities in Kuwait to deal with a possible 
Avian Influenza (AI) or Pandemic Flu outbreak.  Education and 
rapid response are the two critical aspects of dealing 
effectively with a Pandemic outbreak, he said.  Kuwaiti 
government officials need to be trained in technical aspects 
of dealing with a pandemic and responding quickly to an 
outbreak. 
 
¶6.  LT Searles was on a four-day visit (January 27-31) to 
Kuwait to identify GOK assets and capacity in dealing with 
Pandemic or Avian Flu.  He visited local laboratories, 
 
KUWAIT 00000208  002 OF 002 
 
 
Ministry of Health facilities, and government and private 
hospitals during his visit.  Lack of adequate laboratories, 
technical experts, and health facilities remain critical 
problems in Kuwait.  NAMRU-Cairo resources may be available 
to train GOK medical officials.  NAMRU may also be able to 
provide expertise to the GOK to develop and establish 
internationally certified laboratories in Kuwait.  Embassy 
will work to identify relevant GOK officials for training and 
for improving laboratory capabilities. 
 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
MISENHEIMER