Health workers first

NST: Civil servants in the frontline battle against bird flu will be vaccinated when the first batch of the Tamiflu vaccine arrives in June.
Top on the list are the 220,000 doctors, nurses, medical assistants and Veterinary Services Department officials.
Then come firefighters, policemen, soldiers and other groups which will be identified from time to time, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek told reporters today.
This will cost the Government RM5 million.
Dr Chua said the vaccination was not for everyone in the country as no single vaccine had been proven effective against the deadly disease. "We will only vaccinate those who may be exposed to it," he said.
Dr Chua earlier had a meeting with state health directors, Agriculture Ministry officials and professional bodies at his ministry.
He said the Cabinet had approved an additional RM60 million for the fight against bird flu, including stockpiling Tamiflu for 2.5 per cent of the population.
The maker of the drug, Roche, will supply the Tamiflu vaccine every year for four years. The first batch will cost RM40 million.
Dr Chua said the vaccine would only arrive in June as Roche could not cope with the demand.
He said he had also received reports of pharmacies selling Tamiflu at the exorbitant prices of up to RM180 per course.
"But Roche assured me it is not giving the vaccine to the pharmacies. The company is giving it to the Government," he said.
He added that there were also pharmacies using the name of the ministry, the Health Minister and the Director-General to purchase the drug.
The Tamiflu vaccine does not protect people from bird flu, but it helps reduce complications if they contract the disease. "It enhances survival so I don’t understand why people want to take it now," Dr Chua said.
Dr Chua said the ministry was identifying more hospitals to be placed on standby for a possible epidemic. So far, 21 hospitals have been alerted.
The ministry’s sentinel centres are currently conducting surveillance and monitoring efforts to chart the progress of the disease.