ID :
76896
Tue, 08/25/2009 - 18:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/76896
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PRIVATE DOCTORS URGED TO KEEP ABREAST WITH MINISTRY'S GUIDELINES ON A (H1N1
)
By Alan Ting
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Medical Association (MMA)
president Dr David Quek has advised private doctors to refer to the Health
Ministry's website to keep abreast with the latest guidelines in treating
Influenza A(H1N1).
Some doctors may be cautious in prescribing Tamiflu or other antiviral drugs
in mild cases, he said when contacted by Bernama in the wake of complaints that
general practitioners were giving paracetamol and cough medicines instead of
antiviral drugs to patients confirmed positive for the A(H1N1) virus.
On Monday, the Health Ministry said a 38-year-old female teacher from a
school in Subang Jaya died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital on Aug 19, several days
after she was first diagnosed with the A(H1N1) by a private clinic but was not
given any antiviral drug.
"We hope people will understand that this virus will affect some people
severely. I'm not trying to justify the situation but everybody has to
understand that this virus is new to us and we are still learning to understand
it better," Dr Quek said.
"Since the treatment policy in this country now has changed due to the
spread at the community level, doctors have to be more alert," he added.
Health Director-General Dr Mohd Ismail Merican had also urged doctors to
make it a habit to check the ministry's website regularly for the latest
information.
"It (information) can reach anybody who bothers to check the website," said
Dr Mohd Ismail.
The Health Ministry, meanwhile, issued a circular dated Aug 6 to update on
the latest approach in dealing with influenza-like illness (ILI), containing
measures in line with the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization.
It states that all ILI cases in risk groups such as pregnant women, the
obese, asthmatics, chronic lung patients, diabetics and low immunity groups must
be treated with antiviral drugs within 48 hours of detection without having to
wait for A(H1N1) confirmation.
Antivirals should also be prescribed to those with two days of high fever
above 38 degrees Celsius and also those tested positive for the Influenza A
using rapid test kits.
The Health Ministry has also addressed complaints of the high cost of
antiviral by asking manufacturers to sell at cost price of RM80 (US$22.68) for a
box of 10 pills to encourage private clinics to stock the medicine.
The ministry, however, cautioned that antivirals cannot be consumed as
preventive medicine.
Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai, meanwhile, called for a meeting with private
doctors on Thursday to stress the importance of accurate diagnosis and timely
treatment.
The ministry, together with the MMA and the Federation of Private Medical
Practitioners, will also hold a National Health Pandemic Conference on Sept 12
to better equip private doctors with latest knowledge on the H1N1 treatment.
-- BERNAMA
By Alan Ting
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Medical Association (MMA)
president Dr David Quek has advised private doctors to refer to the Health
Ministry's website to keep abreast with the latest guidelines in treating
Influenza A(H1N1).
Some doctors may be cautious in prescribing Tamiflu or other antiviral drugs
in mild cases, he said when contacted by Bernama in the wake of complaints that
general practitioners were giving paracetamol and cough medicines instead of
antiviral drugs to patients confirmed positive for the A(H1N1) virus.
On Monday, the Health Ministry said a 38-year-old female teacher from a
school in Subang Jaya died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital on Aug 19, several days
after she was first diagnosed with the A(H1N1) by a private clinic but was not
given any antiviral drug.
"We hope people will understand that this virus will affect some people
severely. I'm not trying to justify the situation but everybody has to
understand that this virus is new to us and we are still learning to understand
it better," Dr Quek said.
"Since the treatment policy in this country now has changed due to the
spread at the community level, doctors have to be more alert," he added.
Health Director-General Dr Mohd Ismail Merican had also urged doctors to
make it a habit to check the ministry's website regularly for the latest
information.
"It (information) can reach anybody who bothers to check the website," said
Dr Mohd Ismail.
The Health Ministry, meanwhile, issued a circular dated Aug 6 to update on
the latest approach in dealing with influenza-like illness (ILI), containing
measures in line with the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization.
It states that all ILI cases in risk groups such as pregnant women, the
obese, asthmatics, chronic lung patients, diabetics and low immunity groups must
be treated with antiviral drugs within 48 hours of detection without having to
wait for A(H1N1) confirmation.
Antivirals should also be prescribed to those with two days of high fever
above 38 degrees Celsius and also those tested positive for the Influenza A
using rapid test kits.
The Health Ministry has also addressed complaints of the high cost of
antiviral by asking manufacturers to sell at cost price of RM80 (US$22.68) for a
box of 10 pills to encourage private clinics to stock the medicine.
The ministry, however, cautioned that antivirals cannot be consumed as
preventive medicine.
Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai, meanwhile, called for a meeting with private
doctors on Thursday to stress the importance of accurate diagnosis and timely
treatment.
The ministry, together with the MMA and the Federation of Private Medical
Practitioners, will also hold a National Health Pandemic Conference on Sept 12
to better equip private doctors with latest knowledge on the H1N1 treatment.
-- BERNAMA
