MALAYSIA BUYING H1N1 VACCINE FOR FRONTLINERS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is discussing with several
international pharmaceutical companies on acquiring the Influenza A (H1N1)
vaccine for the 200,000 frontliners working at the country's 53 entry and exit
points.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Tuesday the workers concerned needed to
be vaccinated to prevent the them from being infected with the virus following
the latest announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the pandemic
was now unstoppable.

"We are now in the midst of ordering the vaccine so that when it's in the
market, we'll be among the first to get it," he said, adding that the government
was in discussions with pharmaceutical companies supplying the vaccine from,
among others, the United States and Europe.

Speaking to reporters after launching the Epidemic Intelligence Programme
(EIP) Malaysia 3rd Cohort Graduation here, he said the cost of the vaccine had
yet to be determined as discussions with the pharmaceutical companies were still
ongoing.

"When the vaccine is ready, details such as dosage will be announced," he
said.

He said that currently, the frontliners were given seasonal flu vaccine
containing components from the influenza A (H3N2), influenza A (H1N1) and
influenza B virus on an annual basis since 2007.

The vaccine did not protect them from the current H1N1 strain but helped
screen for potential cases, he added.

Malaysia's frontliners comprise civil servants under the category of health
and medical personnel, the Royal Malaysia Police, the Civil Defence Department,
the Armed Forces, the Fire and Rescue Department and the Immigration Department.

On the latest flu status in Malaysia, Liow said there were 32 cases reported
in the country as at 8am today -- 20 imported and 12 locallt transmitted.

"This brings the total number of cases in Malaysia to 804. Of the total, 696
or 86 per cent have recovered, 77 are undergoing home quarantine and another 31
patients are being treated in the hospital," he said.

Liow said that the Standard 2 Nilam class of Sekolah Kebangsaan Intan
Baiduri Gombak have been closed following the spread of the pandemic while
Sekolah Rendah Sultan Sulaiman 1, Kuala Terengganu, and Form 4 Jaya of Sekolah
Menengah Aminuddin Baki Kuala Lumpur would remain until Wednesday.

Earlier, in his speech, Liow said Malaysia needed more experts in the
epidemiological field to handle pandemics like A(H1N1).

The EIP Malaysia, he said, was an important programme in training more
experts in the field to boost disease control measures in the country.

"Since it started several years ago, some 115 public health specialists have
been exposed to EIP's Introductory Course Module and 35 are currently undergoing
two-year training under the programme," he said.

He said the programme used the Training in Epidemiology and Public Health
Networks (TEPHINET) exercise modules which are also used by 42 other countries.
-- BERNAMA