Materia Medica Malaysiana

WHO meet to scrutinise SARS

The Star Online > News > Monday, June 16, 2003

BY SUSAN TAM

PETALING JAYA: The mysterious coronavirus that claimed over 750 lives will come under microscopic scrutiny when health experts meet tomorrow at the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) first Global Conference on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

According to WHO’s Collaborating Centre director Datuk Dr Lam Sai Kit, the issues that would top the agenda included measures to reduce transmission in healthcare and community settings, the clinical management of SARS and studying the possible role of animals in the deadly flu-like disease.

“Better patient management in terms of viral therapy, disease prevention in terms of case detection, isolation and infection control, will be identified hopefully as a result of this meeting,” said Dr Lam who is also Universiti Malaya’s professor of medical microbiology.

The two-day conference here is a follow-up to the Asean health ministers' special meeting on SARS which ended in Cambodia on June 11.

It is also expected to review the scientific findings of the killer disease, to examine the public health interventions to contain the disease and how to contain the virus without risking too many lives.

Health Ministry deputy director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Merican said Malaysia would be able to share its experience in handling the disease at the WHO conference.

“This meeting is eagerly awaited by all as many are interested to know the latest development on the disease.

“The general measures to be adopted at the meeting are important to plan strategies for future outbreaks including bio-terrorist attacks,” he added.

WHO’s acting representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Dr R.W.K. Gee said the conference would bring together all those involved in research, care and treatment areas to exchange their understanding and knowledge of the disease.

About 1,300 scientists, medial experts and public health officials are expected to attend the gathering.

WHO communications officer Dick Thompson said the meeting was a “perfect opportunity” to examine how the world had responded to the outbreaks and proposed new ways of responding to similar outbreaks in the future.

On the first day, the plenary session will touch on the global impact caused by SARS, the global alert and response.

Various countries such as Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Canada and the United States will give country reports.

Among the aspects to be discussed include the aetiology of SARS, laboratory diagnosis and vaccine development.

On the second day, participants will discuss matters like preventing international spread, epidemiology, laboratory issues, clinical diagnosis, response co-ordination and surveillance.

By tackling the mysterious virus from all angles, experts are optimistic that the meeting will be fruitful in knowing the disease better and to come out with more effective measures to contain the global spread of SARS.