Ministry to stockpile drug for possible bird flu outbreak

NST: Malaysia will stockpile the drug Oseltamivir for a possible outbreak of bird flu which has hit humans in Thailand and Indonesia.
This follows a World Health Organisation call for nations in the region to prepare themselves for a bird flu pandemic.
Malaysia is expected to obtain its supply from Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche, which has agreed to reserve three million courses (30 million capsules) for the world market until 2010.
The first million courses (10 million capsules) will be ready early next year with the remainder before the middle of next year.
The Health Ministry’s surveillance unit in the Communicable Disease Control Division has been entrusted with the task of stockpiling the drug.
Division director Dr Ramlee Rahmat confirmed that the ministry would stockpile the drug as part of the strategy under the National Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan.