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P 081410Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000580 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KFLU TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S SAFEGUARDS AGAINST A/H1N1 VIRUS 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 0569 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY: During a televised May 1 Cabinet meeting, 
President Berdimuhamedov ordered subordinates to undertake a range 
of preventive measures in an effort to block the arrival of the H1N1 
flu virus in Turkmenistan.  The Ministry of Health was tasked with 
disseminating public information through the media on how to prevent 
the spread of the virus.  Between May 5 and 7, the Neytralniy 
Turkmenistan published a series of articles that described 
Turkmenistan's efforts to safeguard against the A/H1N1 virus.  The 
articles described the government's strategic plan to prevent the 
spread of the virus, which included sanitary and epidemiological 
measures at the Ashgabat International Airport and Turkmenbashi sea 
port, virus testing at the national virology laboratory, veterinary 
preventive efforts, new restrictions on the import and sale of pork, 
training courses for health professionals, and the dissemination of 
public information.  The restrictions on the import of pork, 
officials claim, is based on WHO guidelines, which is untrue as the 
UN has said there is no need for anti-pork trade measures.  The 
Ministry of Health has claimed that not a single case of the flu has 
been identified so far and has also expressed confidence that it can 
block the flu's spread to Turkmenistan.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
PREVENTIVE MEASURES AT THE ASHGABAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 
 
¶3.  (U) On May 5, an article appeared in the paper entitled "How the 
Air Gates are Protected from the New Virus." It informed readers 
about new preventive measures that have been established at the 
Ashgabat International Airport.  Authorities are now using a special 
thermal scan device that measures the body temperatures of arriving 
international passengers.  Airport officials are authorized to 
detain and isolate passengers with high temperatures  Officials are 
also regularly disinfecting airport facilities and training airport 
personnel on emergency medical response procedures. 
 
¶4. (U) The article claimed that the use of advanced technology and 
the capacity of airport medical personnel provided a strong and 
reliable barrier against the flu entering Turkmenistan.  Turkmen 
Airlines crews have also reportedly received special training on the 
handling and isolation of passengers who demonstrate flu symptoms. 
Turkmen aircraft are being disinfected as well.  The week of May 4, 
post's travel clerk said the Ministry of Health had begun sending 
doctors to all Ashgabat hotels to evaluate the guests. 
 
MARITIME SANITARY CORDON 
 
¶5. (U) The article from May 6 informed readers about the preventive 
measures taken by the sanitary inspection officials at the 
Turkmenbashy sea port, which includes disinfection of ships before 
they enter the port, disinfection of a ship's equipment and cargo, 
review of ship's sanitary declaration, and temperature checks of 
passengers and crew members.  If a passenger has a high temperature, 
he/she is quarantined.  If a sick person is a member of the crew, 
then the entire crew will be isolated in special rooms and given 
medical check-ups.  In addition, the ship is quarantined.  When the 
inspection of the anchored ship is completed, the inspectors 
authorize its entry into the port.  The main flow of passengers 
enters the city on railroad ferries.  Passengers undergo quarantine 
control at the ferry terminal.  The port sanitary inspectors use 
thermo-scanner, which immediately registers elevated body 
temperatures and sends the information to the computer installed in 
the medical unit of the sea port.  Medical units at the airport and 
sea port have "hot line" telephone connections with the State 
Sanitary and Epidemiology Service of the MOHMI.  According to Juma 
Kuliyev, head of the port sanitary and quarantine department, the 
number of passengers at the sea port, compared with the Ashgabat 
International Airport, is small because the port mainly processes 
technical cargo.  "But we do everything to ensure that the port's 
sanitary cordon protects the "maritime gates" of the country from 
the virus," Kuliyev said in an interview. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000580  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
THE NATIONAL VIROLOGY LABORATORY 
 
¶6.  (U) The May 7 press article reported on the work of the national 
virology laboratory which is able to diagnose all types of viruses 
by using special equipment, which Turkmenistan purchased at during 
the most recent Avian Influenza pandemic.  The laboratory is 
certified by the World Health Organization every year.  According to 
Galina Muradova, a virology doctor from the laboratory, laboratory 
specialists immediately go to a sick person to collect sample 
materials for analyses to be delivered to the laboratory in 
hermetically packed containers.  The materials then are analyzed. 
The most reliable method of analysis is the polymerase chain 
reaction test (PCR).  In the article, Doctor Muradova said that 
shortly the laboratory will receive new equipment for virus tests, 
which will enable them to improve the accuracy of the test results. 
(NOTE: The photo shows equipment with a "CDC-USAID" label.  The 
article did not make any reference to USAID.  END NOTE.)  According 
to Dr. Amannepesov, Deputy Minister of Health, special laboratory 
diagnostic kits from Russian vendors are available in the 
laboratory.  The MOHMI secured a large amount of Tamiflu for local 
polyclinics.  Tamiflu also is available in drug stores.  Pol/Econ 
local staff confirmed that a local drug store offered Tamiflu at the 
price of 19.80 manat or around $7 per pack. 
 
VETERINARY SAFEGUARDS 
 
¶7.  (U) The article also said that the Veterinary Service had 
registered all pigs in the country, and veterinary specialists 
conduct daily surveillance of each animal.  Pig breeders received 
special sanitary requirements regarding pig farms. 
 
ECONOMIC STEPS 
 
¶8.  (U) For safety measures, as of May 1 the government introduced a 
temporary ban for importing pork from countries infected with A/H1N1 
virus.  Also, the government has introduced a temporary restriction 
on selling pork in all local food markets. 
 
INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT 
 
¶9.  (U) The May 4 paper published an interview given by the Director 
of the MOHMI Information Center, Rejepmurad Geldiyev, who in detail, 
explained what were the symptoms of the virus, how people can get 
infected and what preventive measures need to be taken.  Mr. 
Geldiyev concluded his interview by stating that Turkmenistan did 
not have a single case of the virus registered so far.  All sanitary 
and epidemiological services work in close coordination with WHO and 
other international organizations engaged in this problem, by 
receiving updated information on the virus, which is immediately 
distributed among health specialists.  The article said that MOHMI 
developed a series of TV programs on the virus and published 
booklets, available at airports, hotels, clinics, and schools, which 
explained in detail how to protect oneself from the virus. 
 
¶10. (SBU) COMMENT: Turkmen officials claim that their decision to 
ban the importation of pork products is based on WHO guidelines. 
However, the UN has stated that there is no reason for anti-pork 
trade measures.  One cannot get H1N1 from a piece of meat. 
Officials must want to calm either their or the public's irrational 
concerns.  END COMMENT. 
 
MILES