Health Ministry Ready To Face Another Floods

PENANG, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry has directed its officers and staff to be prepared for the eventuality of floods in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak following a forecast by the Department of Meterology of heavy rain in these states from Saturday.
The ministry's parliamentary secretary, Datuk Lee Kah Choon, said they had been told to be on standby for they could be called to work at any time.
He said measures were also taken to ensure sufficient vaccines and medicines, adding that staff based at locations in flood-prone areas were also told to move the stuff to safe and high ground to prevent damage in the event of floods.
Lee spoke to reporters after presenting diplomas to 75 students of the Disted-Stamford College here.
On the recent floods in Johor, he said much of the vaccines and medicines at the health and rural clinics in the affected areas, especially in Segamat, were damaged.
"To prevent a similar occurrence, all quarters are required to follow the standard procedure, which is to place the medicines at higher and safer places," he added.
On losses incurred in the floods, Lee said the ministry was compiling the data, which would be made known in a few weeks.
On dengue, he said the number of suspected cases reported was still high with more than 1,000 cases a week.
He said Selangor recorded the highest number with 300 cases a week while Penang recorded 100 cases, of which between 20 and 30 per cent were confirmed to be dengue cases.