Cablegate: Spain Considering Participation in H1n1 Vaccine

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

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