SWINE FLU: Steps taken to prevent outbreak

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: As the swine flu threatens to become a pandemic with the World Health Organisation warning that no region was safe from the outbreak, Malaysia's National Preparedness Plans for Pandemic Influenza is being primed for activation.
Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican will chair a NPPPI meeting with officers from all relevant ministries, departments and agencies.
Dr Ismail was responsible for drafting the NPPPI in 2006 after the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and high pathogenic avian influenza.
Malaysia was commended by the WHO for the NPPPI and also effectively putting in place containment measures during the outbreak of SARS and avian influenza.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said Malaysia averted major outbreaks because of close collaboration among the government agencies, especially between the Veterinary Services Department and the Health Ministry.
"Each time an outbreak occurs, we immediately swing into action and implement our Preparedness Plan, including culling and detecting people with symptoms of the diseases," he said.
Liow said Dr Ismail would coordinate the entire operation again as many of those, especially in other ministries and departments were new and need to be briefed and guided on the NPPPI
"To avert an outbreak, we need to have a contingency plan which comprises stringent surveillance at all entry points including airports, ports and borders, a national operations centre, medical service, public health and laboratory responses and media updates," he said.
Liow said it was important that the public was given timely updates as only through public cooperation could the disease be averted or contained.
He said the ministry was closely monitoring the swine flu outbreak around the world and monitoring the WHO website for updates and alerts. So far, no cases have been reported in the country.
The swine flu has spread from Mexico, the US and Canada to Europe, New Zealand and there is even one suspected case in South Korea.
Liow said the Immigration Department was on alert for ill passengers especially from swine flu countries.
"Private doctors must alert the ministry if they come across Malaysians or foreigners who show symptoms of the disease especially if they have come from countries where there have been outbreaks."
On the installation of mass screening thermal scanners at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Low Cost Carrier Terminal to screen for ill patients, Liow said a local company could supply them.
The company was in the process of getting international certification for the scanners.
"The approval will take at least two weeks and while waiting, we will continue using the static scanners," said Liow, adding that once the new scanners were installed, the current static scanners would be moved to other airports with a lighter passenger load.