Hospitals and clinics to get anti-viral drug, says Ismail

Star: PUTRAJAYA: Starting today, all government hospitals, clinics and selected private hospitals will have the influenza A (H1N1) anti-viral drug Tamiflu, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said.
He, however, cautioned that all anti-viral drugs should not be taken as a preventive measure as this could result in the virus developing resistance to medication.
“Pharmacists are also warned not to sell anti-viral drugs to the public without a doctor’s prescription,” Dr Ismail told a press conference here yesterday.
He said that besides all government hospitals and clinics, 22 private hospitals nationwide would be supplied with Tamiflu.
Private clinics would also be allowed to obtain stocks from relevant suppliers.
“The suppliers have given us the assurance that there is sufficient supply of anti-viral medication,” he said.
Dr Ismail also warned doctors not to use anti-viral drugs to prevent a person from getting the flu.
“Not only have such measures been proven ineffective, they will also cause resistance to the medication as reported in the United States, Hong Kong, Mexico, Japan, Denmark and Canada,” he said.
Furthermore, he said the move would also deplete the resources for such medication.
Dr Ismail advised doctors and healthcare practitioners to be vigilant and take precautionary measures to prevent themselves from being infected.
He said that unlike the SARS outbreak where none of the healthcare personnel were infected, the H1N1 flu had caused a few to fall ill.
The death toll from influenza A (H1N1) rose to 14 with the latest casualty being a 57-year-old pensioner who was a diabetic and suffered from hypertension.
He was warded at the Putrajaya Hospital on Tuesday and died of acute pulmonary oedema the next day.
Health authorities also recorded 16 new cases in the 24 hours before 8am yesterday, all being local transmissions, bringing the total number to 1,492.