U.S.-UKRAINE COOPERATION UNDERWAY TO COMBAT H1N1 INFLUENZA

In an effort to stop the global spread of pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, the United States is planning to donate 10 percent of US domestic H1N1 vaccine supply, as it becomes available, to a WHO-led H1N1 vaccine initiative. The US donation to WHO, equivalent to 25 million doses of vaccine, would be valued commercially at approximately $10 million.

As part of the first phase of this initiative, Ukraine is scheduled to receive 930,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine in early December. Planning to complement this donation with a broad range of interventions to support the safe delivery and deployment of the vaccines, the USG will be working closely with the Government of Ukraine in the days ahead to identify needs and agree on a package of immunization-related commodity and technical support that can be implemented rapidly to support H1N1 immunization. As required and requested by the GOU, the USG is prepared to make available immunization ancillary materials such as syringes, needles, and vaccine safety disposal boxes, to provide technical support for immunization planning as well as for logistics and assistance to transport the vaccine, to train vaccinators and other professionals, and to prepare communications materials in support of the immunization campaign.

The US recognizes that improved access to the H1N1 vaccine will limit the spread of the virus and help save lives, and stands ready to provide robust and timely support to the Government of Ukraine to address this global health threat.

The US is also prepared to assist Ukraine during this outbreak through the Biological Threat Reduction Program. The Biological Threat Reduction Program works with the Ministry of Health, the State Committee for Veterinary Medicine, and the Academy of Agrarian Sciences to help combat specific threats to public health such as H1N1. Under this program, the US has continued to work closely with our counterparts at Ukraine’s Central Sanitary Epidemiological Station (CSES) during the current H1N1 outbreak and has offered both technical and material assistance. For example, the US is offering Ukraine’s CSES both equipment and test supplies to improve their diagnostic capabilities and ability to react to the current situation.