VZCZCXYZ1267
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMD #0980 2791210
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061210Z OCT 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1296
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 5353
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0515
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0915

UNCLAS MADRID 000980 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OES/IHB:JONES; IO/HS:BLACKWOOD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC PREL KFLU WHO SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN CONSIDERING PARTICIPATION IN H1N1 VACCINE 
DONATION INITIATIVE 
 
REF: STATE 99707 
 
¶1. (U) Post delivered reftel demarche encouraging 
participation in the WHO H1N1 vaccine donation program for 
developing countries to Ildefonso Hernandez Aguado, Director 
General for Public Health and Foreign Health Matters, and 
Alfonso Jimenez Palacios, Director General for Pharmacy and 
Health Products, both in the Ministry of Health and Social 
Policy (MSPS).  Hernandez said that Minister of Health 
Trinidad Jimenez Garcia-Herrera has supported publicly the 
WHO initiative, but that Spain cannot make a commitment at 
present. 
 
¶2. (U) The GOS is waiting for a decision from the European 
Medicines Agency on the recommended dosage for the H1N1 
vaccine.  The fact that the vaccine supplies are 
decentralized in Spain (with each of the 17 Autonomous 
Communities purchasing its own) adds another layer to the 
decision making process.  Additionally, Hernandez said that 
the GOS is considering whether vaccine donation would be as 
cost effective as other forms of assistance to developing 
countries, such as donations of equipment or technical 
assistance.  Econoff informed Hernandez and Jimenez Palacios 
that a WHO survey of developing countries emphasizes the need 
to act soon and found that access to vaccines for health 
personal is critical.  If the MSPS decides in favor of 
participating in the WHO initiative, the Spanish Agency for 
International Cooperation (AECID) would make the actual 
donation.  The appropriate contact for follow-up is Carmen 
Castanon Jimenez, Deputy Director of International Relations 
in the MSPS (34-91-596-1744). 
CHACON