Malaysia's Nehap Asked To Provide Guidelines To Avoid Mosquito-Friendly Environment

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Sept 29 (Bernama) -- The National Environmental Health Action Plan (NEHAP) has been asked to provide the best guidelines to ensure that Malaysia's environmental health will also include measures to control Aedes, said Malaysian Health Minister Dr S.Subramaniam. He said among aspects that need to be improved are the house structure such as the installation of rainwater gutters on the roofs that often become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and holes in the parking lot of low-cost housing areas which could cause stagnant water. "All parties should ensure that our environment is not mosquito-friendly to safeguard the welfare and health of the community," he said when opening a NEHAP conference here Thursday which was attended by 40 government agencies. NEHAP represents a comprehensive, holistic and intersectoral way of planning and implementing environmental health action plans at the national level. Dr Subramaniam said five dengue fever deaths were recorded last week. Meanwhile, commenting on the Rotavirus infection cases, Dr Subramaniam said so far, nine cases were reported; two in Penang and seven in Kedah. Both Penang and Kedah are Malaysia's northern states. The rotavirus is a type of virus which causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines and commonly affects children, especially children below five years with symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain. --BERNAMA