read his lips: S-W-I-N-E F-L-U

I heard him saying in TV3 and NTV7 and i think TV8 few days back, and I was wondering whether the mainstream news people are going to write about the biggest joke.

I could not stop laughing as when the whole world was following the World Health Organisation’s instruction by calling the new influenza A(H1N1), Information Communication and Culture Minister intended to force state-run radio and television Malay programmes to used “swine flu” as it was confusing by calling it H Satu N Satu.

And finally someone wrote, and I couldn't have agreed more.

How do you supposed to give information, if you refused to accept the right terms from the pros?

Which part of communication that he's missing? being the good listener? Or blaster speaker?

What kind of culture is this you're showing to the public?

Sadly, this is another example of Malaysia Boleh.

Some people are better off living in Mars.

Elsewhere, here's a letter from the professional really worth noting.

Sickening measures to curb outbreak

DIFFERENT countries seem to be responding differently to the A (H1N1) outbreak. In the US, for instance, there are no thermal scanners at airports. In Japan, with more than 900 cases, travellers only need to fill a health declaration form.

In Singapore and Malaysia, airports have thermal scanners, hospitals have special tents for suspected cases, quarantine is mandatory and schools have been closed.

Although new, this flu does not appear to be dangerous. The latest WHO update on June 26, lists 59,814 confirmed cases with only 263 deaths, giving a mortality rate of less than 0.5%.

Our response to A (H1N1) may have been inappropriately influenced by the experience with SARS which had a mortality rate ranging from 15% to 19%.

In fact, the American Centre for Disease Control (CDC) states that “not all patients with suspected A (H1N1) need to be seen by a healthcare provider, only patients with severe illness or those at high risk of complications”.

It then goes on to give detailed advice on how to care for a patient at home, and how to prevent spread among members of the same household. Here, we quarantine the entire household, forbidding them from even going out for food.

In fact, the CDC also states that “not all people with suspected A (H1N1) infection need to have the diagnosis confirmed, especially if the illness is mild”.

Instead of expanding the number of people quarantined, forcing employers to give full pay, unrecorded leave and increasing the strain on our healthcare personnel, we may do better if we adhere to the CDC’s recommendations.

The Health Ministry Director-General has initiated numerous measures in place to contain the outbreak. Yet, patients have expressed unhappiness after going through the measures.

We are using valuable healthcare resources, both human and material, in this containment policy against A(H1N1).

Should we not be proactive, look at the situation of those ahead of us in their experience of A (H1N1), save on resources and avoid unnecessary, hurtful and ultimately unsuccessful endeavours?

Should we not treat A (H1N1) for what

it is, a new and highly infectious, probably uncomfortable, but not at all serious or

dangerous for those without underlying

illness?

We must not make the treatment more unpleasant than the disease itself.

Dr ONG HEAN TEIK,
George Town.

Disease or Dis Ease? You tell me...