H1N1 VACCINE SAFE TO USE - DEPUTY MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government has assured that
the vaccine to treat and prevent influenza A (H1N1) is safe to use although
there are side effects like fever, rashes and body pains.

Deputy Health Minister Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the people
need not worry as the vaccine was safe despite several reported cases of side
effects in Canada.

"They were isolated cases. The vaccine can defend frontliners and high risk
groups in facing the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic.

"The government is confident that the vaccine can control and defend
frontliners in facing the second wave of H1N1," she told House of
Representatives Tuesday.

Rosnah was replying to Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli, a MP who
questioned the vaccine's safety as it was produced quickly and that no tests
were done on humans.

H1N1 claimed 77 lives since it was detected in April but there was a
declining trend since Sept 15 compared to Aug and early Sept.


She told Aaron Ago Dagang, another MP that deaths from dengue fever and
HIV/Aids showed a declining trend with 78 for dengue (until Nov 28, 2009)
against 102 in 2005 and 600 for HIV/Aids compared to 1,231 in 2005.

However, deaths from heart ailment rose to 7,597 last year compared to 5,549
in 2005 while 6,282 were kiled in road accidents in 2007 compared to 6,223 in
2004.

Ago Dagang had asked about the trend and death statistics due to dengue
fever, heart ailment and road accidents over the last five years and efforts
taken by the government.

-- BERNAMA