SPEECH BY U.S. CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRS BRIAN L. GOLDBECK
TO THE THIRD NATIONAL INFLUENZA WORKSHOP,
OCTOBER 11-12, 2007, ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA

Minister Tuya, Drs. Batsereedene, and Nyamkhuu, Mr. Hagan, Mr. Kasai, and distinguished guests: 

On behalf of Ambassador Minton, who is in the U.S., and the U.S. Embassy, it is an honor to be able to address this, the Third National Influenza Workshop in Mongolia.   I am particularly pleased to attend this workshop and see this important project is being successfully implemented with the help of US funding. 

As I noted at last year’s workshop, the subject of pandemic influenza control is of vital interest to the people of Mongolia and the whole world, and it remains an issue to which my government, from the President on down, is devoting significant attention and resources.  We are here today because we all want to protect and save lives.  This is a worthy, noble goal and not an easy one.

As of May 2007, the United States had pledged $434 million or about 470 billion Tugruks to support international efforts to detect and contain potential influenza pandemic outbreaks.  U.S. Government agencies including, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), among others, have deployed scientists, veterinarians, public-health experts, and physicians to the far ends of the globe to assist in the development and implementation of emergency preparedness plans and procedures for the response to avian and pandemic influenza.

Our relationship with Mongolia’s National Center of Communicable Diseases (NCCD) and the Ministry of Health on this issue began in 2004 when the CDC signed a cooperation agreement to fund start-up costs for Mongolia’s Influenza Surveillance Network.  Impressed with the quality of work and results from their dedicated and professional Mongolian counterparts, the CDC agreed to fund the program through September 2009.
Since the project’s inception in Mongolia, over 78 surveillance networks have been established, over 800 doctors and professionals have been trained, and 437 influenza viruses were discovered out of 8,575 samples.

The U.S. Government, through the Centers for Disease Control, has obligated $1.7 million or about 1.8 billion Tugruks to developing Mongolia’s Influenza Surveillance Network, which is part of a larger global surveillance network.  U.S. funding has gone to the upgrading of NCCD’s Virology Laboratory through the purchase of needed equipment, training programs, and the development and printing of guidelines, manuals and health samples.  We can now proudly say that the NCCD’s Virology Laboratory meets all WHO criteria set forth for National Influenza Centers.

Now that the Influenza Surveillance Network has been fully established, we strongly encourage the Government of Mongolia to begin budget preparations to take over funding staff, material, and maintenance costs for the program once CDC’s funding mandate ends just about a year from now in September 2009.  Beyond that, we hope the Government will look for ways to sustain and expand the surveillance network throughout Mongolia.

The success of our collaboration on this project is proof of what can be achieved when our two countries work.  It is an important achievement for us as friends and allies as we celebrate this year the 20^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. The United States looks forward to continued cooperation with Mongolia to assess the threats posed by human and avian influenza.  Your conference offers a timely opportunity to assess the current situation and chart the way forward to achieve that noble goal of protecting and saving lives.

I wish you every success. 
Thank you.