Hospitals on alert

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: A nationwide alert has gone out to all hospitals for an anticipated rise in cases of asthma and other respiratory ailments as the air quality dropped further in many areas yesterday.
The hospitals have been directed to collect data on a daily basis and report to the Health Ministry if they see a significant increase in those seeking treatment for such complaints.
The Health Ministry’s Disease Control Department director, Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat, said all hospitals were already on standby to cater to any increase in the number of patients.
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said hospitals and clinics in the state were daily treating some 200 cases of respiratory diseases, like asthma, and conjunctivitis — up from the normal 40 to 50 cases.
Tips and information on haze-related problems can be obtained from all hospitals and the ministry’s website www.dph.gov.my/haze/index.html
As for the El Nino weather phenomenon which is predicted to bring dry weather to Malaysia in a few months, Dr Ramlee said their main concern was the outbreak of diseases related to drought.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Hospital’s consultant pulmonary and critical care physician Datuk Dr Jeyaindran Sinnadurai said he did not see a significant increase in asthma and respiratory cases because particles in the air could be large.
"Large particles can be trapped by nasal hair. It’s the small particles that get into the respiratory system and cause health problems."
Department of Environment director-general Datuk Rosnani Ibarahim said a letter was sent to the Indonesian authorities yesterday informing them the haze had reached very unhealthy levels.
Meanwhile, many kindergartens in Kuala Lumpur put masks on children under their care.
They are also encouraging the pupils to stay indoors and drink more water.
Many young children have stopped going to kindergartens and those attending have coughs and sore throats.