A H1N1 'Flu Pandemic: ensure doctors & others treat patients who seek help well.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Health Ministry to try its best to ensure that doctors and other personnel treating the patients who seek help properly. During this Influenza A H1N1 Pandemic, busy personnel may be tired, showing attitude that is unacceptable.

Private hospitals and clinics should cooperate with the Health Ministry, raising the standard of identifying and treating H1N1 patients.

As the number of patients has increased by leaps and bounds, the speed of diagnosis and tests must be faster, if possible.

Local governments have health departments. These should rise up to the occasion, helping the ministry to cope with the pandemic.

Yesterday, the Director-General of Health Tan Sri Ismail Merican said that as HIN1 was a new strain of virus, the second wave of attack might affect many more people, because they did not have the immunity.

Although the authority gives the incidence as 3,575 cases with 59 deaths, the actual figure may be tens of thousands. If the Government wants to declare certain places as dark areas, it has to stduy the spread of the disease very carefully. This virus is invisible to naked eye. It mutates, causing more fatalities.

Before we talk about drastic action, the ministry must improve the effectiveness of its current measures. For example, its Operation Room in Kuala Lumpur must improve the effectiveness. The telephone number is 03 26983757 which tends to be engaged. Are there other numbers?

According to Ismail, the measures taken include public education, raising public consciousness, examination and treatment as well as social isolation such as a patient confined to home for 7 days. The people must make it their responsibility to face the pandemic.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw