PAKEJAN MAKLUMAT

DENGGI
JILID 3


(Keratan Akhbar 2011-2012 : Berita Harian, Utusan
Malaysia, New Straits Times & The Star)












Disusun oleh :

PERPUSTAKAAN NEGARA MALAYSIA






Denggi: 1.003
kompaun
sehtngga Julai
KUALA LUMPUR 17 Ogos
- Sejurolah
kompaun bernilai
RM348,010 dikeluarkan
oleh Kementerian
Kesihatan bagi tujuan'
kawalan wabak denggi
sepanjang Julai lalu.
Ketua Pengarah
Kesihatan, Datuk Dr.
Hasan Abdul Rahman
berkata, sejumlah 180 kes
telah didaftar untuk
tindakan mahkamah
dengan 45 kes berjaya
diselesaikan
membabitkan denda
RM24,930.
tindakan
diambil menerusi Akta
Pemusnahan Serangga
Pembawa Penyakit 1975
dan bagi tempoh Januari
bingga Julai lepas,
sebanyak 8.,557 kompaun
dikeluarkan yang bernilai
RM3,602,340.
"Sejumlah 1,073 kes
telah didaftarkan untuk
tindakan mahkamah dan
dalam masa yang sarna
sejumlah 667 kes telah
diselesaikan'dengan
sejumlah RM140 910
denda dikenakan,"
katanya dalam satu
kenyataan di sini hari ini.
Utusan Malaysia 18 Ogos 2011
MIS: 27
Malacca
plans '
mozzy
project to
fight dengue
By R.S.N. MURAU
murali@thestar.com.my
MALACCA: Plans are under way to
release genetically-modified mos-
quitoes (GMM) here pending
approval from the Health Ministry
and the state government.
I
State Health, Project Rehabilita-
tion, Sub-Urban Development and
NGOs Committee chairman Datuk
Seet Har Cheow said the Malacca
Health Department had initiated the
plan as part of its dengue-fighting
initiative.
"This is our long-term plan to
eradicate dengue in the state which
appears to be on the rise despite the
many preventative measures taken
over the years. .
"We have identified Bukit Nangka
I
in Alor Gajah for our pi lot project.
"However, this depends on the
approval from the federal and state
governments," he said,- adding that
the state government would endorse
the plan after tabling it at an exco
meeting soon.
Seet said the pilot project would
I be gradually extended to other parts
of the state if everything went ahead
as planned.
He added that the state govern-
I
ment would call for field tests and
laboratory experiments before the
mosquitoes were re1eased.
Seet said careful testing was cru-
cial to prevent a possible vacuum in
the ecosystem.
According to him, the plan will be
the first scientific method used to
combat dengue in the state.
Seet said dengue-related cases
were still rampant despite the launch
and intense promotion of the
Communication for Behavioural
Impact campaign recently.
A10r Gajah MP Tan Sri Fong Chan
Onn said field experiments and labo-
ratory tests conducted prior to
releasing genetically-modified mos-
quitoes would ensure that the plan
would not be detrimental to people.
The Star 19 Ogos 2011
MIS: 3
Jake proactive action to
fight (lengue, says expert
By LOH FOON FONG
foonfong@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia ' n,eeds to monitor
the dengue epidemic and 'implement control
measures before it hits rather than do things
retrospectively, said ClJ renowned expert on
infectious
The programme director of the Singapore-
bases Emerging Infectious Diseases at the
Dune-NUS Graduate Medical School Prof Dr
Duane Gubler said Malaysia's surveillante
, approach was stiU"reactive" surveiUancerath-
. er than prQactive. ._
':VOl} it retrospectively, but what I
am suggesting is monitor it prospectively,"
said Dr Gubler, a former dengue branch
at the United States . for Control and
Prevention for 15 years.
He was among tlie experts who shared their
expetti5e at the 4th Intensive Workshop on
Genetically Modified Mosquitoes yesterday.
He said the dengue infection cycle in the
community moved silently and there was usu-
ally a lag time oefore the virus picked an epi-
demiC strain. ,
, "Vou have a period of two 'or three months
that you can initiate control and reduce the
impact," he said. ,
The surveillance approach here depends on
physicians sending their samples to the World
Health Organisation laboratory at Universiti
Malaya but a good, active epidemiological and
virological surveillan(e that allows monitoring
of the virus in the community'is mucn needed,
be said.
Dr Gubler said Malaysia had good entomo-
logic capacity but lacked in epidemiologic and
the'virologic capacities.
.Policy makers had to be' serious about the
efforts and allocate funds far the infrastructUre
for mosquito control and vaccine deliverY, he
said, adding that most coun'tries in the South-
East Asia did not allocate enough funds.
The Star 8 September 2011
MIS: 19
Contest teaches students to fight dengue
By Noel Achariam
streets@nstp.com. my
SUBANG JAYA: Subung Jaya Munic-
ipal COlmcil (MI'SJ) has embarked on
mission to educate students on tho
dangers of dongue.
The MPS.J organised an annual
compotili on call ed the 'Tripl e A
Agent' (lM) for studenl< with the
assistance of the Columbia
Asia Puchong (l ICAl').
SOll1e 305 studonis from 10 schools
in Puchong look l1I.u't in the com
petiti on. which started in Octobor he<t
year and ended in Mny.
StudenlS who participated wt}I'c
given a briefing by IlCJ\P on how to
search and destruy Aedes mosquito
Jill'vae in their homos. The students
were also provided with glnv(ls. bot
ti cs and tool kits to collecL lhe larvae . .
Thoy were Illught lhe importance of
keeping their surroundi nh'S clean.
MP 'J recently gave away cash
prizes for the '1M competition.
First prize of HMJOO wont to S.JK(C)
Yak Choo; second prize of HM200 wont
to SK Puchong Jaya; and Ulird prize of
IlM100 went to5./K(C) Hun Ming.
MPSJ president Datuk AsmU\vi
Kasbi sai d: "Tho first TAA pro-
gramme, which was conducted in
Puchong. was successful .
"Wo understand the dangers, and
that is why we have to start teaching
studenls 1'1'0 111 nyOlUlgagc. We will be
expanding this programme to other
areas soon," he said.
I\smuwi said that 341 dengue cus-
es were reported in mid-October this
year. of which 189 ",lSes teslod pos-
iti ve for denguo.
Of the '\ 89. 33 cases involved stu-
denis aged seven to 17.
"w, should not take the denguo
menace IighUy. "'Ie should always en-
sure that our homes aro clean and
free of brceciing grounds." he said.
Asmawi also presented prizes to
three primary and three secondary
school canteens which purticipated
in the Clean 5t:hool Canteons com-
petition in 5ubang Jaya.
For canteens in primary s(;hools.
the /irst prize of RM1 .000 IVent to
5. /KlC) Chee Wen U5.I1 ; second pri ze
oJ'RM7()0 went to SK Seksyon 2 /lan-
dar Kinrara: and third prize wont La
5./K(C) Serdang /laru.
For canteens in secondary schools.
/irst prize of IlMl.000 wont to SMK
Pusatllundar Puchong1; IlM700 went
to SMK US.J4; anti third priz" went to
SMK Sckysen 4 Bandlll Kinrara.
MI'SJ Health Department director
Dr Hoslan Mohamed Hussin said it
WUS important for canteen operators
to keep their premises clean.
"To prevent food poisoning. can-
teen operators must ensure that
their premises are clean ataU times,"
he said.
Boslnn said canteens which were
New Straits Times 3 November 2011
MIS: S5
Datuk Asmawi
Kasbi (left)
presenting mock
cheques to the
winners of the .
Triple A Agent
competition
from SJK(C) Yak
Chee, SK
Puchong Jaya
and SJK(C) Han
Ming. - Picture
by Sugumaran
Suppiah
not clean could be shut down for
three to 1.4 days. and the operator
IinedIlMSOO.
Hoslan said the municipal cowIcil
regularly monitors all 27 ",Ulloens
under the purview of M/'SJ.
Teresa Kok with Toxorhynchites mosquitoes and larvae which will be released at a dengue
hotspot. - Picture by Nurul Shafina Jemenon
Anti-Aedes released
SUBANG JAYA: Th ubang Jaya Muni ipal
Council (MP J) r nU1' J as d anoth. r 400
To orhynchit . mo qui toes at Kampung ri
Arnan Puchong. in its efforts to fight and erad-
ica dengu.
ffi iating at the vent was puteh m mb r
of parliam nt Tere a Kok. Th vent was or-
ganis d in coUaboration with Univ riti ains '
Malaysia (U M) and ClMB. following a m m-
orandum of under tanding signed in July.
along with a RM60,000 allocation.
The location is a hotspot which record d a
high number of d ngue cas s recently.
MPSJ balth dir ctor Dr Roslan Mohamed
Hu in said in Jun that th y had pIa d 60
rno quito larvae trapping d vice (MLTO) at
Jal an Bistari 1. Jalan Bistari 2, lalan Bi tari 3,
Jalan Arnan 1. Jalan Arnan 2 and .lalan Thqwa.
"After the experiment, the r sults showed a
high number of Aedes breeding spots at tb
location," he said.
Roslan said the experim nt would b eval-
uat d regularly, with th. final valuation to b
don in ix months. If u cessful , th ouncil
will introduc more of th m quitoe and
MLTO at oth r sit s.
H > said d ngu cas s in tb . COUll 'il muni -
ipality had redu d this y ar, from 1,359 cases
last year to 135 cas up till 0 tob r this y ar.
According to U M ntom logis t Prof Abu
Hassan Ahmad Toxorhyncbi tes an liv up to
one month. H said th public ne d not fear
these mosquito s as tb y fed on plant nectar
rather than human blood.
Toxorhynchites can grow up to 1.9cm in
I ngth and has a wing pan of2.4cm.lts larva
ed on til larvae of otb r rno quito .
Also, the Toxorhyn hit s ar tJu' tiro s
larger than the Ads mosquito s.
The ev nt also saw th launch of th 0 ngue
quad for JKP Zon 12. - By Farhana Syed
Nokman
New Straits Times 3 November 2011
MIS: S5
DENGUE
Wolbachia solution
to l(ill mosquitoes
T
HIS year, along with many
thousands of others residing
in Mal aysi a, I contracted
dengue. It wasn' t a pleasant ex-
perience, though others have fared
much worse.
Dengue is incurabl e but it is not
unstoppable.
A discovery arisi ng from re-
search by Professor Scott O' Neill of
the University of Queensl and,
backed by the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation, offers a way to
stop dengue and make Malaysi a
free of t hi s di sease forever.
There is a parasite call ed Wol -
bachia wh ic h ca n prevent
mosquitoes from ever passing on
dengue fever.
It can also be passed to the off-
spring of mosqui toes and shortens
their li ves by hal f.
Once introduced into a mosquito
popul ation, it will continue spread-
ing until ail mosqui toes in the area
are infected. The result wi ll be that
dengue will no longer be spread to
humans.
The scourge wi ll be at an end and
no one wi ll di e from it anymore.
Wolbachi a-i nfected mosquitoes
are being released in tri als in Thai-
land and Vietnam.
Sponsored by the Gates Foun-
dation, thi s is to ascertai n how t he
strategy fares in the wi ld.
I note t hat t here are no Wol -
bachia trial s in Malaysi a.
Should these tri als prove suc-
cessful - as it seems very l i kely-
could the Mal aysian government
move as fast as possible to infect
The Wol bachia bacteria can prevell t mosquitoes f rom passitlg 011
dengue/ever.
t he local popul ation of mosquitoes
with Wolbachi a?
Doing so would save many li ves
and eliminate the massive annual
medical costs of cari ng for tens of
thousands of dengue victims.
Let us make Malaysia dengue-
free.
Val entine Cawley, Kuala Lumpur,
New Straits Times 30 November 2011
MIS: 33
Dengueon .
the rise: A
filepix of Dr
Roslan holding
up two of the
larvae samples
that were
collected from
a site in Subang
Jaya
Several public'places slapped with
compounds for breeding Aedes
,
,
SEVERAL prominent hQtels, tourist attraGtions
. and places of. worship in areas under the
Subang jaya Municipal Council's (MPSj) juris-
diction have been slapped compounds for
having Aedes breeding grounds
within their premises.
MPSj Health Department director Dr Roslan
Mohamed Hussin said 32 Aedes breeding
grounds had . been found in_ several
places, including Sunway Lagoon Theme Park,
Holiday Villa Hotel, Palace of the Golden
Horses, a go-kart circuit in SS12 Subang jaya,
Kinrara Golf Club, and the former Petaling'
District Land Offi<;e in S516 Subang jaya.
Citing tHe MPSj's statistical data on
Aedes breeding ground in public places for the
period of january till October 2011, Dr Roslan
said: "Of the 32 sites, 17 have been slapped
With compounds.
"The others were issued with notices as the
premises were not occupied.
"A compound of RM500 would be issued for
each Aedes mosquito breeding ground
found."
He said MPSJ had, for the period of January
till October this year, issued 506 compounds
for Aedes mosquito breeding grounds found in
various premises including homes and places
of worship.
"Up till Nov 19,410 cases have been report-
ed in areas under the MPS]'s administration, of
which 217 were positive for dengue," said Dr
. Roslan.
MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi urged
those responsible for overSeeing the running
of public places and developers to monitor
their premises to ensure that there are no
Aedes mosquito breeding grounds in their
areas.
I "The council has the authority to issue: sum-
monses, and take the party to court if neces-
sary," he said.
During the MPSJ full meeting, Asmawi
reminded councillors to not freely comment
on sensitive issues like the 2012 Budget and
suggested that they refe.r to the Procedure
Guidelines for Councillors of Local Authorities
issued by the state government for further
details on the ethics and procedures to be
observed by coundllors.
The Star 1 Disember 2011
MIS: 9
Schools
urged
to take

measures
PUTRAJAYA: School administrations
are urged to ensure that their
premises do not become breeding
grounds for Aedes mosquitos.
They have been advised to clean
toilet bowls and water tanks before
the new school term starts on Tues-
day.
Director-General of Health Datuk
Dr Hassan Abdul Rahman said this
was because checks by Jhe Health
Ministry on 100 schools nationwide
had that 15 of them had
turned into. breeding grounds for the
Aedes mosquitos.
"Water tanks where the water can-
not be drained should have mos-
quito-proof lids. Also, use chemical
and biologij:al agents to prevent the
breeding of Aedes mosquitos," he
said in a statement here yesterday.
He said the matter should not be
taken lightly as dengue still posed a
serious threat to humans.
Hassan said 19,682 cases of dengue
fever were reported from January to
Dec 24 this year, compared with
45,684 cases for the same period last
year, while 36 deaths from dengue
. fever were reported for the same
period compared with 133 deaths
last year.
He added that total of 429 cases
of dengue fever were reported in the
51st week of 2011 (Dec 18 to 24) with
no deaths recorded, compared with
522 cases with two deaths the week
before. Bemama
New Straits Times 31 Disember 2011
MIS: 8
429 kes denggi
sepanjang
minggu lepas
KUALA LUMPUR 31 Dis. -
. Sebanyak 429 kes demam
denggi tanpa kematian
dilaporkan bagi tempoh
18 sehingga 24 Disember
lalu berbanding 522 kes
dengan dua kematian
pada minggu
sebelumnya.
Ketua Pengarah
Kesihatan, Datuk Seri Dr.
Hasan Abdul Rahman
berkata, kes demam
denggi pada minggu
ke-51 menunjukkan
penurunan 93 kes,
namun terdapat enam
buah negeri yang
mengalami peningkatan.
"Enam negeri tersebut
adalah lohor sebanyak
empat kes, Perlis (dua),
Sabah (dua), Kelantan
(dua), Pahang (satu) dan
Melaka (satu).
"Selain itu,
peningkatan terhadap
jurnlah lokaliti wabak
denggi di 22 daerah yang
dipantau seluruh negara
turut meningkat kepada
99 lokaliti berbanding 97
sebelumnya," katanya
dalam satu kenyataan
. akhbar.
Hasan berkata, terdapat
tiga kawasan panas
dikenal pasti pada
minggu lepas yang
melibatkan 32 kes
demam denggi.
"Dua daripadanya
adalah di Selangor iaitu
Pangsapuri Taman Bukit
Kenangan dan
Pangsapuri Baiduri
Bandar Tasik Kesuma di
Hulu Langat serta di zon
Klang Lama melibatkan
Vista Angkasa.
"Oleh itu, kami harap
semua pihak bekerjasama
dalam mengambil
langkah -langkah
mencegah dan
menghapuskan tempat
pembiakan nyamuk
aedes terutama kolarn
hiasan, pasu bunga dan
landskap yang boleh
menakung air," katanya.
Utusan Malaysia 1 Januari 2012
MIS: 17
Kesdenggi ,
menin at.
satu kematian
r KUALA LUMPUR 12 Jan. -
JmnIah kes demam .
denggi menuhJllkkan .
peningkatan apabila
merekodkan sejumlah
kes dengan satu
kematian dilaporkan
berbanding 350 kes pada
rtiinggu sebelumnya.
Ketua Pengarah
Kesihatan, Datuk Dr.
Hasan :Abdul Rahman
berkata, 90
kes itu melibatkan
minggu pertama tahun
ini iaitu bermula 1 I
sehingga 7 Janum lalu.
"Selangor merupakan
safah satu negeri
daripada sembilap. negeri
yang
peningkatan terhadap
jumlah ,ci'emam- .
tersebut.
"Sebanyak'61 kes
meningkat di negen
berkenaan diikuti Johor
11 kes; Perak (10), Melaka
(8), Kedah (6), Negeri
Sembilan (3), . Pahang 3),
Terengganu (2) dan
Wilayah Persekutuan
Kuala Lumpur dan
Putrajaya (2)," katanya
dalam satu kenyataan di
sini hari ini.
Menurutnya, satu
kematjan dilaporkan itu
membabitkan seorang
wanita berusia 35 tahun
di Puttajaya setelah
mengalami demam
berulang kali dan
disahkan meninggal
dunia aldbat komplikasi
dengue shock syndrome
selepas dua hari
dimasukkan ke Unit
Rawatan Rapi.
Utusan Malaysia 13 Januari 2012
MIS: 28
Sharp increase in dengue cases
MENACE: Public
advi sed to take the
matter seriousl y
-EILEEN NG
AND ALiF ZULKEFLE
KUALA LUMPUR
news@nst.com.my
T
HE number of dengue cases
has risen to an average of
400 a week si nce December
last year due to changes in t he
weather.
This is an increase of 33 per cent
from its previous average of300 to
350 cases a week.
In view of this, Health Minister
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has ad-
vised the publi c to take the matter
se ri olls ly as it involves t heir
health.
"Dengue is dangerous. We have
to go all out with dengue erad-
ication campaigns.
"This menace has to be con-
trolled because to date, there is
no vaccine for dengue," he said
after giving out RM3.17 million in
loans from the Chang Mi ng Thien
Foundation to 157 students yes-
terday.
The foundation has given RM24
mi ll ion in loans to 1,567 students
since its inception in 2004.
In a statement, Healt h director-
general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul
Rahman urged the public to get rid
of Aedes breeding grounds at t heir
homes, offices and institutions of
higher learning.
He said the ministry found that
throughout last year. 90 per cent of
Aedes mosqu i toes breeding
grounds were within and around
residential premises as opposed to
2010, where 70 per cent of breeding
grounds were found around res-
idential premises.
"The i ncr ease of breeding
grounds outside homes means
Lumpur yesterday. Pic by Hasriyasyah Sabudin
society needs to be more active
and participate in gotong-royong
activities to cl ean up t hei r
premises.
"Flood-prone states are also ad-
vised to conduct gotong-royong to
get rid of stagnant water."
Liow said the dengue vacci ne
was in its second phase of clinical
trials involvi ng 2,000 humans in
Putrajaya and Penang.
The third phase of the trials is
expected co be conducted by year's
end and the vaccine is expected to
be used by 2015.
On the progress of the genetically
modified Aedes mosquitoes to
curb the spread of dengue, Liow
said the ministry was keeping tabs
on its progress.
"We have released the
mosquitoes in non-populated ar-
eas. Later, it will be released in
populated areas," he said adding
that the ministry was also keeping
a close watch on countries with
similar research, like Brazi l.
On another matter, Liow said no
HSNl avian influenza cases had
been reported in the country.
New Straits Times 17 Januari 2012
MIS: 15
l
'hi,,"l'oll,"d'ati'o" ill KlIa /a
He said the government would
continue to monitor the situation
and carry out random checks on
livestock.
"Livestock with bird flu will be
destroyed immediately," he said.
He said there was no mutation of
the H1Nl infl uenza A virus and it
had now become a common sea-
sonal flu.
+
Doctor died of dengue, court told
POSTMORTEM REPORT: No criminal elements
found in death of Dr Rajamalika, says cop
-AlTA JONC;
SHAH ALAM
ritajO@lnst.com.my
O
PTHALMOLOGIST Dr Ra-
jamalika Kandi ah's death 13
years ago was attributed to
dengue haemorrhagic fever.
I nvestigati ng officer Assistant
Superintendent Marina Hashim
from Terengganu police headquar-
ters told the coroner's court yester-
day that thi s was stated in the post-
mortem report.
Marina, who took over the invest-
igation papers i.n January last year,
said she was only told to record
statement from a witness and to
carry out forensic investigalions on
Dr Rajamallka's house In Jalan USJ
2/5, Subang Jaya.
"The investigation in the house
was conducted on Jan 19, last year.
for DNA. We seized two combs.
which were later sent to the Chem-
istry Department," she said when
questioned by deputy public pro
secutor Noor Husni ta Mohd Radzi,
who is assisting in the inquest.
"But it was very difficult to get
anythi ng positive as the deceased
died 13 years ago."
Dr RajamaHka was married to
.Sivaraj Raja Ratnam, 80, a former
fingerprint examiner from federal
police headquarters in Bukit
Aman. Sivaraj was a divorcee when
his marri age with Or Rajamalika
was registered in April 1992.
This was her second marriage,
She has a SOD, Or Bala Saravaoan
Bala Rajentheran, 27, a dentist at
Selayang Hospital, from her first
marri age,
Dr Rajamalika died on Aug 29,
1998, at the age of 44.
Her death was initially attributed
to dengue haemorrhagic fever, but
her brother, Mohanadas Kanaiah,
subsequently lodged a police re-
port allegi ng fo ul playas he r
post- mortem revealed the pres-
ence of arsenic and mercury in her
bl ood.
Poli ce reopened investigations
after the reports all eged that she
died of suspicious ci rcumstances.
When questioned by counsel M.
Manoharan, who is representing
Sivaraj, Marina said the forensics
and chemistry reports were negat-
. Ive of'any results.
Manoharan: 00 you agree that
the doctors who r ~ t e d Dr Rajama-
New Straits Times 21 Januari 2012
MIS: 23
iika did not lodge any police report
of any suspicion or foul play?
Marina: Yes.
Manoharan: Dr RajamaHka's
son has previously alleged there
were criminal elements in her
death. Did you see this in your in-
vestigations?
Mari na: No.
Coroner Norkamilah Aziz fixed
Feb 8 for submissions,
The inquest is coming to a close
after eight years of hearing.
It started in 2004 and saw more
than 20 postponements for various
r easons , with three coroners
presiding over the case and ni ne
prosecuting officers and deputy
pub.1ic prosecutors.
Ministry
steps,up

, . '"
meas,ores
PROACTIVE STEPS: More community-based
programmes to fight menace
CARISMA KAPOOR
KUALA LUMPUR

T
HE Health Ministry wiU con-
vene weekly dengue task
force meetings in all districts
to find ways to control the outbrea,k
of the disease. ;
Its disease control dire.ctor, Dr:.
Chong Chee Kheong, ' said the
meetings would strengthen the im-
plementation of
celerate their activities, especially
in the search and destroy oper-
of'breeding places."
Dr,Chong said owners of premis-
es found to be breeding aedes
mosquitoes would be issued max-
imum fines.
He said the Health Ministry
would continue prograrnmes; such
as media campaigns and "Duta
Sihat lMalaysia" activities, includ-
ing gotong-royong, talks and
Dengue Integrated i
Vector Management. " !
house VIsits, to edu-
cate families.
"Private companies
will also be assisted by
the ministry to initi-
ate dengue preven-
tion programmes held
by the Rangers Rid-
sect and Dengue Pa-
trol teams."
"Whenever there is , 1::: "Whenever there !::.
an outbreak, district is an outbreak
officers' ,:1,
prevent and curb me up to
said con"ene such I.
Dr Chong, had taken meetings to i
several proactive mea- prevent and curb 1:: .::: '
sures to tackle the sit- , i the disease."
uation, including issu- l.
ing district- and r Dr 1
wide alerts on the ris- . ! Health i
ing number of dengue i Ministry disease i.l :.
cases nationwide. ' i control director
He said district and 1..._ ... __ .. _ .. _. __ ._._ ...... _ .. _.i
state health depart-
. Through this pro-
gramme, Dr Chong
said students would
be plore aware about
dengue prevention
and share the .infor-
mation with 'their
peers. Currently,
there are more than
100 schools in the
ments would be increasing com-
munity and individual participa-
tion in dengue prevention and con-
trol activities.
Klang Valley, Johor and Penang
involved in the programme.
"A Combi (Communication for
Behavioural Impact) team ap-
proach will be emphasised to ac-
A total of 481 cases and two
deaths in the second week of this
year have been reported, compared
with 350 cases in the last week of
last year.
New Straits Times 25 Januari 2012
MIS: 14
Doktor perlu
lapor kes denggi
K
UALA LUMPUR: Pengamal
perubatan yang tidak mela-
porkan kes denggi yang dirawat
di premis kesihatan masing-
masing akan dikenakan tinda-
kan mengikut Seksyen 10, Akta
Pengawalan dan Pencegahan
Penyakit "Berjangkit 1988, kata
Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Seri
Liow Tiong Lai. '
Beliau berkata, di bawah akta
itu, semua pengamal perubatan
bertanggungjawab melaporkan
kes demam denggi kepada Peja-
bat Kesihatan yang terdekat
dalam tempoh 24 jam.
"Kemel1terian Kesihatan
memandang serius perkara ini
kerana kegagalan melaporkan
kes menyebabkan tindakan kawa-
Ian tidak dilakukan 'seterusnya
menyumbang kepada penularan
jangkitan yang berterusan," kata-
nya dalam satu kenyataan yang
dikeluarkan, di sini, semalam.
Tiong Lai berkata, pada tahun
lalu, enam pegawai perubatan
hospital swasta di Petaling J aya
dikompaun RM1,000 seorang
kerana gagal melaporkan kes
demam denggi y ~ m dirawat di
premis mereka. '
"Kementerian Kesihatan men-
dapati 213 kes demam denggi dari
daerah Petaling yang dirawat di
hospital berkenaan pada 2011 dan
dar.ipada jumlah ,terbabit, enam
kes demam denggi tidak dilapor-
kan di mana-mana pejabat Kesi-
hatan," katanya.
------
Berita Harian 26 Januari 2012
MIS: 2
Cop in UN
team dies
of dengue
STATIONED IN Dill: Told wife he was fi ne a
few hours earl ier
DESMOND DAVIDSON
KUCHING
desmond@nstcom.my
Baor
I
T'S a call wives of military or -
police personnel dread. And ear-
lyon Tuesday morning, Clare
Baar, received that call .
"The news was too much to take. I
almost fainted. Only a few hours ear-
lier, I was chatting with him on
Skype and he told me everything
was fine. Benet holding back tears as liley look at Inspector Benet Pawun's pictures. Pic by Ghazali Bujang
It carne at lOam. The caller in-
formed Clare that her husband, In-
spector Benet Pawun, 52. who was
serving with the United Nations po-
lice (UNPOL) in Dili , Timor-Leste,
was found dead in his quarters.
"They told me he died of suspect-
ed dengue; Clare, 51, said at her
home in Taman Anggerek at Km64
of Jalan Kuehing-Serian, here. yes-
terday.
"'Don'[ worry' were the last 'words
he said to me."
Clare, however, said she was wor-
ried as Benet had also complained
that he was having a fever.
She became more concerned
when her husband told her he had to
go for a blood test.
"' was fretting about his fever and
he kept saying ' don't worry' and ' ev-
erything was fine'."
Benet, who left with the Malaysian
contingent on Oct 13 last year for a
12-month tour of duty. never saw the
result of the blood test.
He was supposed to have obtained
it on the day he died.
Officers went to his quarters to
look for him after he failed to show
up for work or respond to calls on his
handphone.
Benet was attached to the Crim-
inal Investigation Department at the
state police headquarters, here.
His 26-year-old daughter, Le-
viana, said it was hard to accept that
her dad was dead.
"When my mother informed me, 1
kept asking her whether it was true.
"' couldn't believe it. He was such
a healthy man."
Leviana; a staff nurse at the Bin-
tulu Hospital, said there were no
indication that her father was sick
nor did he display any unusual be-
haviour when he returned home for
12 days last Christmas.
Benet has five other children -
Somers, 32, an assistant pharmacist,
eldest daughter, Connie, 3D, a teach-
New Straits Times 9 Febuari 2012
MIS: 17
er at SMK Taee in Serian, Malcolm,
28, a police constable attached to the
Kulal Jays district police headquar-
ters, Cornelius. 19, a student at Kalej
Teknoloji Timur in Sepang, and
Moses, a student at SMK Senan.
Malcolm, who had followed in his
father's footsteps to join the police
force, sald his father's body would
arrive in Kuching on Monday.
Benet is expected be buried in llis
home village of Mayang Kawan, near
Tebakang, on Wednesday.
11 dengue deaths so far
Liow: Almost -half of cases reported this year were in S'gor
GENllNG HIGHLANDS: Se!angor recorded the
highest number of dengue cases, with 1,271
cases reported from last month, Health
Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.
This figure was almost 50% of the 2,854
cases nationwide. Eleven deaths were reported
so far, he added.
He urged the public to do their part in
eradicating the spread of the Aedes mosquito,
which also transmits the chikungunya virus.
The numbers compare with the 2,781 cases
and six deaths reported in the same period last
year.
Liow said Kuala Lumpur had 313 cases.
"Such a big disparity between the two states
is extremely worrying," he said after attending
Resorts World Genting's annual Chinese New
Year children's party here yesterday.
Liow, who sounded the "high alert" warning
for dengue on Saturday, urged doctors to
report dengue cases or hot spots in their areas
so the ministry could zoom in on them.
"We will send a team to fumigate and inves-
tigate the hot spots. If they (doctors) don't
in.form us, we will have difficulty taking
action," he said, adding that the number of
dengue cases had spiked-drastically to 480 in
the past week alone.
He warned the public that the ' ministry
might once again increase the compound pen-
alty for neglecting to ensure Aedes-free breed-
ing grounds in their homes to RM500.
"Currently, it is RM100 per compound fine,
but we raised it to RM500 when dengue cases
The Star 13 Febuari 2012
MIS: 19
were at a record high in 2010," he said, adding
that the ministry would continue to fund and
train more community-based anti-dengue
(Combi) teams nationwide.
He urged anyone who had dengue symp-
toms including unabated high fever, body
ache, nausea and lethargy to seek medical
treatment before it became fatal.
Regarding the water-borne rotavirus out-
break in Perak, Liow said the results of the
water samples would be ready by today.
On another issue, Liow said a ministry team
would investigate the death of a six-day-old
infant girl at johor Baru's Sultanah Aminah
Hospital on Friday.
The parents had alleged that the girl's death
was due to negligence.
Idle land, abandoned buildings
breeding Aedes mosquitoes
MENACE: Seremban Municipal Council issued 582 notices to property owners to clean up their
premises and 24 were taken to court for f ail ing to take heed of the notices last year
RAMESH PlUAI
SEREMBAN
streets@nstp.com.my
k
LARGE number of Aedes
mosquitoes and larvae in the
eremban Municipal Council
(MPS) area last year carne from plots
of idle land and abandoned houses.
Councillor Datuk Jaafar Shahadan
said of the 332 dengue cases record-
ed last year. there were 17 cases of
dl''1gue haemorrhagic fever. Among
nit! cases, 234 were from those living
_,ear idle plots of land and aban-
, 'ooed houses.
He said the only way to curb this
menace was for everyone to keep
their homes and surroundings clean
and free of stagnant water.
"Though no deaths were reported,
we cannot view this problem lightly.
"Gocol1g-royong activities are the
most effective way to curb the
spread of dengue; he said.
He said this after chairing a meet-
ing ongorong-royong activities at the
Taman Sri Mawar
community hall in
Senawang near here,
recently.
Jaafar said a gOlOng-
royong would be held
in Taman Sri Mawar
soon as there were six
cases of dengue re-
ported at the housing
estate last year.
He said there were
many plots ofidle land
and abandoned hous-
es as well as heaps of
rubbish and clogged
drains, making it ideal
for mosquitoes to breed.
"Gotong-royong
acti vit ies are the
most effective
way to cu rb the
spread'of
dengue:'
Datuk Jaa/ar
Shahadan,
MPS
cOlmcillor
He said last year the council also
issued 582 notices to property own-
ers to clean up their premises, es-
pecially those widl overgrown grass
and shrubs.
"Twenty-four property owners
were taken to court after they failed
to take heed of the notices.
"The council had no choice but to
New Starits Times 18 Febuari 2012
MIS: 4
DatrlkJaa/ar
SI,altadall
(second/rom
right! lVi!h MPS
officers a! I
Taman Sri
Mawar where six
dengue cases
were reported
last year. Pic by
Mohd Amiin Jam
take stern action to ensure our area
is free of the dengue menace," he
added.
Cleaning-up to combat dengue
RM250,OOO allocated for
111 areas in Kuala Lumpur
By CHOONG MEK ZHIN
mekzhin@thestar.com.my
Photo by CHAN TAK KONG
E
LEVEN areas in Kuala Lumpur
have been allocated RM2S0,OOO
each to organise clean-up cam-
paigns to reduce the threat posed by
dengue.
The allocation is timely as the
number of deaths due to dengue had
already exceeded the total number
for last year. --
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)
Health and EnvironmentDepartment
deputy director Dr Norhayati
Abdullah said there had already been
three deaths due to dengue this
year.
"We only had two deaths last year
so we are working towards keeping
the statistics down," she said, adding
that preventing a dengue outbreak
required the cooperation of the pub-
lic in keeping their areas free of
mosquito-breeding grounds.
She said this at the Taman
Cembira, Seputeh gotong-royong
that was organised by the Rotary
Club together with the Kuala Lumpur
and Putrajaya Health Department
recently.
Club members cleared the area of
unused containers that may become
'mosquito-breeding grounds and dis-
tributed Abate and pamphlets to the
residents.
Jalan Riang and Jalan Selesa in
Taman Cembera are former dengue
hotspots.
InJalan Riang 13 people contract-
ed dengue and two in Jalan Selesa_
Rotary Club governor Dr S.
Raveendra Kumar said the group's
main objective was providing serv-
ice to the community.
"We cannot kill all the mosquitoes
there but the best way is to make
sure there are no breeding grounds,"
he said, adding that everyone should
keep their own homes clean.
DBKf Seputeh area manager
Shaari Yusof s,ilid one of the most
common places where mosquitoes
breed were plastic bags containing
drinks.
"Sometimes we will find them
hanging on tree branches or fences,"
he said, adding that these were often
the work of contractor workers.
''Taking care of your own home is
not enough. Mosquitoes that bites
you could have been from a house a'
few doors down from your own," he
said.
"We usually have one gotong-roy-
ong every weekend except during
the celebration periods. Where pos-
sible. we will organise a joint one
with the residents' association or
Rukun Tetangga," he said, adding
that each event cost about RM3,OOO
to organise.
"For our part, we will bring in the
contractor workers from Alam Flora,
provide the garbage lorry as well as
The Star 21 Febuari 2012
MIS: 6
Spreading a
message:
IMalaysia KKM
Health
Ambassador
Phoebe Yap
(second from left)
and Norhayati
(second from right)
handing out
information
pamphlets and
Abate packets to
Mak Sow Yin, 69, a
resident in the
area during the
gotong-royong
programme.
the canopies and PA system," he
said.
He said they also had an addi-
tional RM400,OOO for social develop-
ment programmes and RMSO,OOO
for emergency situations such as
clearing fallen trees during a storm.
"Previously, each area only had a
direct allocation of about
RMl 00,000:' Shaari said.
11 taman
banteras Aedes
300 penduduk gotong-royong
pastikan kawasan bebas denggi
Komuniti
Oleh Mohd Ami" Jail!
bhnews@bharlan.com.mY
a
"
S
ENAWANG: Kira-kira 300 pen-
duduk membabitkan 11 taman
peru mahan da'ti kawasan
Seremban Jaya Senawang di sini, ber-
gabung tenaga mel\iayakan program
gotong-royong perdana daJam usaba
membanteras pembiakan nyamuk
Aedes, baru-baru ini.
Sebelas taman perumaban itu mem-
babitkan Taman Seremban Jaya Fasa
1 hingga 10 dan Taman Senangin yang
terJetak berhampirannya.
Penyelaras program yang juga
Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kawasan
Rukun Tetangga (KRT) Taman Serem-
ban Jaya Fasa 3, Sabri Leman, berl<ata
program itu bertujuan memastikan
kawasan berkenaan yang didiami
kira-kira 8,000 penduduk bebas dari-
pada wabak demam denggi yang boleh
membawa mau!.
Katanya, kawasan perumahan itu
pernah merekodkan beberapa kes
demam denggi sebelum ini, namun
@@
Program itu bertujuan
memastikan kawasan berkenaan
yang didiami kira-kira 8,000
penduduk bebas daripada wabak
demam denggi yang boleh
membawa maut
Sabri Leman
Penyeloros program
MOHO NAJEEB (dua dart kanan) menyampaikan hadlah kepada dua remaj. yang memenangi pertandingan mengumpul
Jentik-jentlk pad. program gotong-royong perdana di Taman SerembanJaya.
sehingga kini tiada kes demam denggi
berdarah yang menyebabkan kema-
tian.
"Tindakan awaJ mengadakan
gotong-royong membersihkan kawa-
san penting untuk memastikan tiada
penduduk yang menjadi mangsa
penyakit itu.
"Kita berharap aktiviti ini dapat
memastikan seluruh kawasan ini
bebas daripada demam denggi. Kita
juga tidak mahu taman ini mel\iadi
lokasi penyakit berkenaan berleluasa
yang akhirnya akan memberi kesan
kepada kesejahteraan penduduk,"
katanya.
Program berkenaan dirasmikan
Ahli Dewan Negara, Senator Datuk
Mohd Najeeb Abdullah. Hadir sarna
Pegawai Kesibatan Daerah Seremban,
Dr Mohd Faid Yuso[
Beliau turut menyampaIkan hadiah
pertandingan mengumpul jentik-jen-
tik membabitkan relllllia dan kanak-
kanak kawasan terbabit
Terdahulu, Mohd Najeeb menya-
rankan supaya program gotong-
royong itu diadakan lebib kerap
dengan penyertaan pihak swasta.
Beliau berkata, swasta harus
memainkan peranan penting datam
aktiviti seperti itu sebagai satu dari-
pada tanggungjawab sosial mereka
"Saya yakin jika program seperti
ini mendapat pembabitan swasta, ia
memberi kesan lebib baik bukan saja
datam memastikan tabap kebersihan
taman, maIah mampu mewujudkan
satujaringan hubungan untukkepen-
tingan bersama terutama dari segi
pendidikan kesibatan.
"Saya juga yakin pibak swasta
akan memberikan komitmen
mereka terhadap usaha ini kerana
mereka juga menyedari tanggungja-
wab mewujudkan persekitaran
sibat dan sejahtera adaJah tugas
bersama," katanya.
Berita Harian 29 Febuari 2012
MIS: N15
Coroner: Doctor
died of dengue
CLOSURE: In que st
rules out foul play
in ophthalmologist's
death
RITA JONG
SHAH ALAM
ritajo@nst.com.my
A
N inquest which had
stretched for seven years
concluded yesterday with
the coroner finding no foill play in
the death of ophthalmologist Dr
Rajamalika Kandiah.
"My wife's soul can finally rest in
peace," was the immediate re-
sponse from Dr Rajamalika's hus-
band, Sivaraj Raja Ratnam, ' who
broke down in tears, after the coro-
ner's court found that his wife had
died of "dengue haemorrhagic
shock".
Dr Rajamalika died on Aug 29,
1998, at the age of 44.
Her death was initially attributed
to dengue haemorrhagic fever, but
her brother, Mohanadas Kandiah,
lodged a police report alleging foul
play as her autopsy revealed the
presence of arsenic and mercury in
her blood.
The police then reopened inves-
tigations after the report had al-
leged that she died of suspicious
circumstances.
The inquest to determine the
cause of her death then began in
Aug 2004.
Yesterday, coroner Norkamilah
AZiz sald her duty was to conduct
the inquest to find out how, when
and where Dr Rajamalika died and
if there was any person who had
caused her death.
The coroner said that based 01;1
the testimonies of eight witnesses,
Dr Rajamalika fell ill on Aug 11,
1998 and was admitted to Selangor
Medical Centre (now known as KPJ
New Straits Times 1 Mac 2012
MIS: 17
Medical Centre) two days later. She
underwent an operation two days
later on Aug 14, for breathing prob-
lems.
"Between Aug 13 and 16 at the
medical centre, she was treated for
dengue fever," said Norkamilah.
"On Aug 17, she was then trans-
ferred to University Hospital (now
known as University Malaya Med-
ical Centre) when her condition
worsened. She died on Aug 29."
Norkarnilah said witnesses also
did not know how arsenic was
found in the deceased's blood.
"Since there were allegations
that the deceased was poisoned,
the P91ice forensics had carried out
further investigations at her house
on Jan 19, last year, but failed to
find any new evidence.
"This was because the forensics
investigation was carried out 13
years later and evidence could pos-
sibly have been lost. Throughout
her 17 days at the medical centres,
she was treated for de!lgue."
I<ematian aldbat denggi membimbangl<an
KUALA LUMPUR 3 Mac - Kemen-
terian Kesihatan meminta semua
doktor kJinik memaklumkan jika
menerima pesakit dengan simptom
demarn denggi berikutan 15 kerna-
tian akibat wabak itu dicatatkan ha-
nya dalam tempoh antara Jaouari
hingga I Mac lalu.
Ketua Pengarahnya, Datuk Seri
Dr. Hasan Abdul Rahman (gambar)
berkata. angka kematian itu amat
seri us kerana ia meningkat dua 'kali
ganda atau sebanyak 88 peratus
berbanding lapan kes bagi tempoh
sarna tahun lalu.
Beliau turut menasihatkan dok-
tor-doktor di semua kJinik supaya
lebih sensitif dan tidak mengambil
rnudah aduan pesakit te-
rutama yang mempu
nyai tanda-tanda de-
rnam denggi.
HSituasi denggi dan
angka kematian dalam
ternpoh yang singkat ini
antara yang terburuk da-
lam negara. Oleh itu,
orang Tarnai digesa supa-
ya lebih kerap member-
sihkan kawasan kedia-
man masing-masing.
" Kita boleh capai kes denggi sifar
sekiranya kadar demam denggi da-
pat diturunkan antara 60 dan 80
peratus dan salah satu kaedahnya
adalah menerusi kempen member-
sih kawasan selama 10
minit setiap seminggu se-
kali ." katanya. '
Beliau berkata demiki-
an selepas majlis penu-
buhan pasukan Skuad
Denggi Penyelamat Nya-
wa di Sekolah Menengah
Teknik Kajang dekat sini
han ini.
Hasan berkata, selain
peningkatan kes kemati -
an, jwnlah kes demam denggi turut
meningkat sebanyak 14 peratus iaitu
daripada 4,453 kes berbanding 3,915
kes bagi tempoh sama tahun lalu.
Berdasarkan analisis, katanya,
sebanyak 21 peratus daripada ke-
seluruhan kes awal tahun ini me-
Iibalkan golongan pel ajar kerana da-
ripada 15 membabitkan kematian,
tiga kes terdiri daripada dua pelajar
sekolah rendah dan seorang pelajar
institusi pengajian tinggi (lPT).
Bagi mengatasi masalah itu, kata
beliau, kementerian mengambil ini-
siatif menubuhkan skuad basmi
denggi di peringkat sekolah me-
nengah dan rendah melibatkan se-
banyak 103 sekolah setakat ini .
"Ki ta juga menggalakkan setiap
komuniti di negara ini supaya ter-
Iibat secara langsung dengan prog-
ram Komunikasi Untuk Perubahan
Tingkahlaku (Combi) bagi mence-
gah denggi," katanya.
Utusan Malaysia 4 Mac 2012
MIS: 4
Menurut beliau, kementerian
menerusi penguat kuasa pemantau
tidak teragak -agak untuk menge-
nakan kompaun kepada pihak yang
membiarkan kawasan mereka men-
jadi tempat pembiakan nyamuk ae-
des.
Sepanjang tahun lalu kata beliau,
pihaknya telah mengumpul seju-
mlah RM6 juta hasil daripada tin-
dakan kompaun tersebut.
Jelasnya, kementerian juga telah
mengenalpasti tiga kawasan panas
wabak denggi di sekitar Kuala Lum-
pur iaitu di Flat Desa Tunku Ma-
riam, Setiawangsaj Taman Sri Ram-
pai, Setapak dan Taman Bukit Ang-
gerik.
Rise in dengue
cases in P. Klang
Problem due to poor garbage collection
T
HE sudden rise in dengue
_ cases in Klang especially at
Port Klang town has got resi-
dents here worried and they want
the authorities to act swiftly to
deal w i ~ the problem.
M. Vadivu from jalan Derun,
Port Klang said apart from his
mother, two of his neighbours
had sought treatment for dengue
fever last week.
Another resident jackson Tan
said a couple of other residents
who live in Leboh Berangan, jalan
Seroja and Lintang Derun were
also seeking treatment for den-
gue-related symptoms the past
few weeks.
"We are worried because apart
from the late collection of gar-
bage, the drains in this area have
not been cleaned for months. The
council and health department
should also inspect nearby con-
struction sites and households
doing renovations as rainwater
easily gets trapped in these areas
thus making them good breeding
ground for the aedes mosquitoes,"
said Tan.
Vadivu said the situation was
worrying as residents were afraid
of going outdoors the past few
days.
"1 do not allow my children to
play outside after what happened
to my mother. The authorities
have been fogging the place the
past few weeks but I think they
need to do more to improve the
cleanliness and hygiene in this
residential area," he addded.
Klang MCA Youth chiefDr Ching
Eu Boon described the rise in den-
gue cases in the district as "worry-
ing".
He said there had been more
than 70 dengue cases recorded at
the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah
Hospital last month, adding that
this was due to the local council
not doing a good job in collecting
garbage regularly.
"MPK (Klang Municipal Council )
had not been collecting rubbish at
certain areas in Port Klang.
Panda maran, Taman Bayu Perdana
and Taman Chi Liung regularly.
. "When garbage is left to pile, it
becomes an easy breeding ground
for Aedes mosquitoes.
Dr Ching said the situation was
so bad in certain areas in Klang that
Barisan Nasional leaders had to fork
out their own money to clean up the
places.
"But there is only so much we can
do. The state government has a big
budget to ensure cleaning work is
implemented. If they cannot spend a
little for the people, I wonder what
they are doing with the money, " Dr
Ching added.
Selangor executive councillor, in
charge of health, Dr Xavier jayakumar
said authorities had identified several
hotspots in the state as potential area
Aedes breeding grounds.
''These areas are usually abandoned
projects and construction sites," he
said, adding that there were more
than 140 abandoned projects in
Selangor.
Dr Xavier said authorities were con-
stantly conducting fogging and other
cleaning works in housing areas to
eradicate the Aedes mosquito.
The Star 5 Mac 2012
MIS: 5
Breeding
ground:
Residents feel
that uncollected
rubbish such as
this illegal
dumpsite
adjacentto a
construction site
in Jalan Rasau,
Port Klang and
clogged drains
are contributing
factors to the rise
in dengue cases.
Calling the rise in dengue cases in
the state as "common", he said: "It is a
cyclic ri se. Last year, during this peri-
od, the state recorded a very little
amount of dengue cases compared to
-the same period this year.
"Dengue cases are soaring during
this time of the year because' of the
heavy rain. We have taken measures
to curb this problem,"
More dengue "campaigns in
schools and residential areas
5ERI KEMBANGAN: The Health Ministry will
intensify awareness campaigns at residential
areas and schools to curb the increase in den-
gue fever this year.
Minister Datuk Seri [jow Tiong Lai said den-
gue cases had risen sharply this year, ' espe-
ciany in Selangor.
"As of Friday, there were a total of 4,533
cases recorded.
"This is a 14% increase compared to the
same period last year," he told journalists after
launching a health check . project and blood
donation campaign here yesterday.
Liow added that the death toll had spiked by
about 50% with 15 deaths this year compared
to eight last year.
He said the ministry would combat the rise
in dengue fever by promoting preventive
measures, which include cleaning up the
breeding areas of Aedes mosquitoes.
On Saturday, Health director-general Datuk
Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said three of the
deaths caused by dengue fever recorded this
year involved children.
On the hand, foot and mouth disease in
Sarawak, liow said the situation was under
control as the number of cases had decreased
from 93 on Saturday to 58 yesterday.
"So far, there have been 1.922 cases in
Sarawak this year," he said, adding that seven
children were warded for the disease yester-
day.
On another matter, Liow said the prevalence
of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and
obesity had increased from 2006 to 2011 .
"The number of high cholesterol cases
increased from 20.7% of the total population in
2006 to 35.1 % last year," he said.
The Star 5 Mac 2012
MIS: 19
Noble deed:
liow checking
on a blood donor
at a health check
project and blood
donation
campaign at
Taman Seri Timah,
Seri Kembangan
yesterday. Looking
on is Serdang
parliamentary
constituency
coordinator Datuk
Yap Pian Hon (in
light blue).
Anti-dengue banners with bad translation to be removed
KUANTAN: The Pahang Government has asked.
the health authorities to take down several
anti-dengue banners with incorrect Mandarin
translation.
The banners, which also carry the Bahasa
Melayu text, were found around Taman Bukit
Setongkol here.
They were meant to warn residents that
their neighbourhood was dengue-prone and
that immediate action had to be taken to wipe
out breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquito
that causes the disease.
Households found to harbour the mosquito
larvae can face a RM500 compound.
The Bahasa Melayu word denggi appeared to
have been phonetically translated into
Mandarin, rendering it meaningless. The trans-
lation for kampaun was also incorrect.
The rest of the Mandarin text - while reason-
ably understood - was. not well-translated.
State Local Government, Health and
Environment Committee chairman Datuk Hoh
Khai Mun said he had directed the health
office to replace the banners. .
Apologising on behalf of the district health
office, he said there was no ill-intention.
"There may have been some mistakes dur-
ing the translation. We will rectify it immedi-
ately," he said.
Hoh said Pahang had 894 dengue cases last
year, a 47% drop over 201 O. He said 60% of the
cases were reported in Kuantan.
The Star 5 Mac 2012
MIS: 25
Lost in
translation:
One of the
many wrongly
translated
banners in
Taman Bukit
Setongkol.
504 l<es demam denggi minggu lalu
KUALA LUMPUR 15 Mac - Sebanyak
504 kes dernarn denggi diJaporkan
pada minggu ke-IO tabun ini, dart
ternpoh 4 hingga 10 Mac IaJu dengan
tiada kernatian akibat kes itu di-
catatkan.
Ketua Pengarab Kesibatan, Datuk
Sert Dr. Hasan Abdul Rahman (gam-
bar) berkata, ia rnenunjukkan pe-
nurunan berbanding minggu sebe-
Iumnya yang rnelibatkan sebanyak
567 kes dengan dua kernalian.
Katanya, beberapa negert bagal- .
manapun terus mencatatkan pe
oingkatan kes berbanding minggu
,;;. Jurnlah kernatian turut
W rneningkat sebanyak 16
kes berbanding lapan kes
bagi ternpoh yang sarna
DR. HASAN ABDUL RAHMAN
Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan
IaJu iaitu Pulau Pinang 12
kes, Perlis dan Sabab (liga kes), Pe-
rak (sernbilan kes), Wilayab Perse-
kutuan Kuala Lumpur dan Putrajaya
Gapan kes) dan Sarawak (empat
kes).
"Bermula dari Januari sehingga
10 Mac tahun ini, kes demam denggi
meoingkat kepada 5,184 kes ber-
banding 4, 445 kes sepanjang tern-
poh sarna tabun IaJu.
"Jumlab kemalian turut meoing-
kat sebanyak 16 kes berbanding Ia-
pan kes bagi tempoh yang sarna,"
katanya dalarn satu kenyataan di
sini hari ini.
Menurut Hasan, sejumlab 115 10-
kalili wabak denggi di 20 daerah
telab dikenaJ pasti dengan lima da-
ripadanya di kawasan panas di Kua-
la Lumpur dan Putrajaya, Hulu La-
ngat dan daerab Petaling Jaya.
Katanya, dua lima 10-
Utusan Malaysia 16 Mac 2012
MIS: 25
kalili itu turut dicatatkan mempu-
nyal kadar pembiakan nyarnuk Ae-
des rnelebihi paras babaya.
Jelasnya, kebanyakan tempat
pembiakan nyarnuk Aedes itu di -
temui di kawasan luar rumah iaitu
eli kawasan-kawasan yang rnudab
elitakungi air.
"Penularan wabak denggi beleh
diatasi sekiranya masyarakat sen-
tiasa peka dengan kebersihan eli
persekitaran mereka apatab Iagi
pada musim hujan ketika ini yang
memudahkan air bertakung.
u
ujar-
nya.
BENTONG: Pahang recorded a sharp
decrease in dengue cases last year
but- the state government aims to
reduce the figure even further.
Local Government, Health and
Committee chairman
Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said the state
. government had set a target to
reduce the 894 dengue cases report-
ed last year by another 10%.
"Pahang recorded the lowest
number of dengue cases in five years
Pahang targets 10
0
/0 drop in dengue cases
in 2011. However, in view of the
upward trend in dengue cases
nationwide, we will intensify efforts
to eradicate the dengue menace," he
said after opening a Community
Rehabilitation Centre creative como,
petition at Felda Lurah Bilut here on
Thursday.
Hoh said he would chair a meet-
ing next week to discuss plans and
strategies .
"Our target will be Kuantan as 60%
of cases occur there.
"We will push for more activities
and awareness programmes in
neighbourhoods as most of the time,
The Star 17 Mac 2012
MIS: 30
Aedes mosquito breeding grounds
are found in homes," he said.
He urged' residents to fully coop-
erate with health department offi-
cials.
On the competition, Hoh said it
was important to allow mentally
disabled individuals an opportunity
to express themselves creatively.
"From their disability, we 'can
sometimes see their strengths in
other fields. The community should
work together to develop and give
voice to their skills," he said.
The competition saw some 70
mentally disabled individuals from
six rehabilitation centres in the dis-
triet take part in colouring, kolam
designing, congkak and weaving '
contests. .
Projects take the sting out of mosquitoes
THE Health Ministry's effort in bring-
ing down dengue cases through
Communication for Behavioural
Impact (Combi) projects had seen an
impressive 78% drop in dengue-
related deaths from January to
November 2011 , as compared to the
same period in 2010.
A total of 17,450 cases were
reported, compared to 42,914 cases
the previous year, marking a 59%
decline. '
There was also an 81 % drop in the
number of dengue hotspots declared
in 2011 in comparison with the 572
in 2010.
Prior to the implementation of the
Ministerial Key Result Areas (MKRA)
the number of dengue cases in the
country was on a rise.
There was a 11% jump in dengue
cases iii 2010 as compared to 2009
while reported dengue-related
deaths rose by 52%, from 88 deaths
in 2009 to 134 deaths in 2010.
Apart from that, one of the big-
gest complaints from hospital
patients was that it took a long
waiting time just to get prescribed
medication.
In addressing this, the ministry
embarked on several initiatives
including the implementation of the
Appointment System and a Drive- '
Thru Pharmacy.
As of October last year, all govem-
ment hospitals and 357 clinics offer
at least one of the services under the
Appointment System, including tel-
ephone and SMS pick-up service
while 11 hospitals now have Drive-
Thru Pharmacies.
Meanwhile, the Works Ministry
has come out as one of the top per-
forming ministries in the MKRA.
Their rehabilitative works on
some of the country's most danger-
0us roads bore results of up to 100%
on some stretches.
For their MKRA, the ministry
undertook the responsibility of fix-
ing "blackspots" - locations where
accidents have occurred repeatedly
due to engineering factors - with
the goal of .reducing ,road acci-
dents.
The number of dengue cases and
Dengue cases _ Dengue related
deaths
Source: GTP 2011 Annual Report
The Star 3 April 2012
MIS: 7
J
usr a fortnight after the World
Health Organisation (WHO)
chief warned about. the possible
end of modern medicine because of
the resistance of disease-causing
micro-organi sms to drugs, there
was alanning news last week of the
rapid spread of a strain of malaria in
Asia that is resistant to the most
effective drugs.
A new study found resistance
growing in a malaria strain in the"
Thai-Myanrnar border: It had earlier
been found in western Cambodia.
The study's authors warn that the
deadly form of malaria could spread
through Myanmar to other coun-
tries unless swift action is taken.
Malaria is caused by parasites
carried by mosquitoes. and killed
655.000 people worldwide in
2010. .
It had earlier been treated with
quinine, then chloroquine.
When malaria developed resist-
a.nce to chloroquine it was no long-
er effective and the new effective
drug ingredient was artemi sinin
(derived from the sweet worm-
wood shrub), which is now Olainly
used in combination with other
ingredients.
Resistance to artemisinin-based
drugs is now causing alarm bells to
ring, because there are no' other
effective drugs, and no new anti-
malaria drug is expected to be in the
market in the next several years.
Malaria that is resistant to artem-
isinin was first found in 2006 in
Cambodia. In western Cambodia,
42% of malaria cases were found to
be resistant in 2007-2010. That's a
shockingly high percentage. and if
thi s kind of prevalent resistance
spreads to other regions. there will
be a malaria emergency.
A team of British and Thai sci en-
Super malaria
strain' on the rise
The danger of drug resistance is coming uncomfortably close to home,
. as scientists report the rapid spread of a super malaria strain resistant
to the best drugs, and warn of the need to contain this
ti sts studied 3.202 patients along
Thailand's north-western border
with Myanmar from 20Q1 and 2010
and measured the ti me it took them
to clear malaria infections from
their blood after treatment.
An article in The Lancet reported
that the number of slow-cl earing
infecti ons rose from 0.6% of cases
treated in 2001 to 20% in 2010,
indicating a rapid rise in drug
resistance.
In that period, the average time
taken to reduce t he number of par-
asites in the blood by half rose from
2.6 hours to 3.7 hours. The propor-
tion of slow-cl earing infecti ons rose
from six to 200 out of every 1,000
cases, indi cating resistance has
reached 20% of cases.
According to a report by Sky
'Alarming: Anopheles gambiae mosquitoeS. a vector for the malaria parasite,
hanging on a net in a research facility in Nairobi, Kenya According to media
reports recenti'!, evidence has emerged that resistant strains of malaria have been .
found on the border between Myanmar and Thailand. - EPA ..
News, lead researcher Prof Francois
Nosten, director of the Shokl o
Malaria Research Unit in Thailand,
warned of a "race against time" to
halt the resistance trend.
"If the situation continues to dete-
riorate then it could mean that the
newest drugs that we' haveto treat
malaria now which are the deriva-
tives of artemisinin, will be progres-
sively ineffective."
Nosten said the consequences, as
seen in the past, would be an
increasing number of cases of malar-
The Star 9 April 2012
MIS: 27
ia and more deaths.
He said the reason why the malar-
ia strain has evolved resistance to
the new treatments is probably
because they have been used a lot
over the last 20 years, as they were
the only effective treatments.
"We can still treat the patient
with these drugs and they get better
and they get cured, it just takes
longer for them to clear the disease,"
he said.
"We have now seen the emer-
gence of a malaria strai n resistant to
our best drugs, and these resistant
parasites are not confined to west-
ern Cambodia. This is very worrying
indeed and suggests that we are in a
race against time to control malaria
in these regions before drug resist-
ance worsens and develops and
spreads further. The effect of that
happening could be devastating.
"Malaria already kills hundreds of
thousands of people a year - if our
drugs become ineffective, this figure
will rise dramatically."
Another researcher, Prof Nicholas
White at the Faculty of Tropical
Medicine in Mahidol Univerity in
Bangkok, urged that support be given
to Myanmar to fight the spread of
drug-resistant malaria there.
Support is also needed to contain
the resistance in this region, other-
wise it is going to spread to India and
Africa, said White.
The spread of resistant malaria is
but one more example of a critical
situation, one in which WHO direc-
tor-general Margaret Chan warned of
an emerging era of the end of modem
medicine.
There should be a worldwide cam-
paign to identify the sources of this
problem and to contain drug resist-
ance, including through the proper
prescription and use of drugs.
Homes checl<ed
to curb dengue
PROACTIVE: Health Department staff and volunteers
destroy breeding ground of Aedes mosquitoes
HAMESH PILLAI
SEREMBAN
streets@nstp.com.my
P
ERSONNEL from the Negri Sembilan
Health Department recently "broke in-
to" and inspected 100 unoccupi ed
homes in Taman Desa Rhu in Sikamat near
here during agotong-royong to curb the spread
of dengue.
About 20 personnel from the department
and SO volunteers joined hands to make the
programme which was carried out in eight
housi ng estates a success.
The gotong-royol1g was organised by res-
idents of Taman Desa Rhu with the eo-op-
eration of the Health Department following
several reports of dengue cases in the area.
Abibah Hussin, who organised the pro-
gramme, said the department was worried
about the increasing number of dengue cases
in the area and decided to do something about
it.
"We got together and cleaned several areas
in the housing estate and also conducted
checks, while children aged between 7 and 16-
were asked to look for potential
mosquito breeding grounds.
"Though no compounds were issued during
the event, health officers will be coming
around regularly to conduct surprise checks
and issue compounds to those who do not
maintain the cleanliness of their respective
premises," she said.
The volunteers also collected about 400kg
of containers, cups, pots and other items con-
sidered potential breeding ground for larvae.
"The programme was a success and we hope
Datuk Moharnad Razi Kail
volullteer at the f!Ocon.f!-fov,mf!
to organise more events and campaigns to
increase public awareness of the importance
to maintain cleanliness," she said.
Meanwhil e , state executive councillor,
Datuk Mohamad Razi Kail, who is also the
Sikamat assemblyman, said the people should
New Straits Times 12 April 2012
MIS: 4
organise similar activities to prevent the
spread of dengue.
"There is only so much the authorities can
do. To eradicate this menace. we must all work
together and share the responsibility," he
added.
Mosquitoes in Klang hospital's dengue ward
I WAS admitted in a critical condition to the
Emergency Ward of the Hospital Tengku
Ampuan Rahimah Klang for dengue haemor-
rhagic fever. Later, my condition improved
and I was wheeled to the Dengue Ward for
furt her treatment and observation.
The Dengue Ward was very clean, thanks to
a very efficient maintenance crew.
However, the one menace they couldn't get
rid of was qlosquitoes.
It was during my second day at the ward
that I saw mosquitoes flying about. One even
landed on my arm.
I was shocked as this was, after all, the
Dengue Ward. What if I was bitten again by an
aedes mosquito?
I was alarmed because I was told that if you
f .. 11 victim to dengue fever the second time,
your condition will be far more serious than
the first. I quickly told one of the nurses of the
presence of mosquitoes but, shockingly, she
said the1e was nothing they could do about it.
Since it was then already llpm (and most
shops were closed), I asked if they had any sort
of repellent that I could use. Again, the answer
was "no".
On a positive note, most of the doctors and
nurses there were dedicated and efficient. I
recovered and was discharKed after two day .
But what about the others still in the ward?
They were also there to seek treatment for
dengue fever and, like me, they haefto contend
with mosquitoes.
I HATE MOSQUITOES,
Klang.
The Star 12 April 2012
MIS: 47
Ministry sets up
anti-dengue team
THE Health Ministry has set up a
dengue management team to tackle
the drastic increase in the number of
dengue cases this year and to stop i.t
from worsening.
Its deputy minister, Datuk Rosnah
Abdul Rashid Shirlin, said there
were more than 8,000 cases this year
with 18 deaths, much higher than
the almost 6,600 ases with 12
deaths recorded in the same period
last year.
She said 40 per cent of cases were
from Selan or, followed by Kuala
Lumpur and Putrajaya.
There are more than 3,000 dengue
cases in Selangor with nine deaths
and 800 cases in Kuala Li.Lmpur and
Putrajaya,'with three deaths.
She said this when answering Sen-
ator Muhamad Yusof Husin, who
asked for the statistics on dengue
cases and steps taken by the gov-
ernment to deal with the problem.
Roslin said the ministry acknowl-
edged the urgent need to combat the
threat of dengue cases in the coun-
try.
"The ministry has set up a special
task force, the 'Dengue Management
Team', made up of highly-trained
officials.
"Through trus, we have set up a
speciali ed ward and cubicles for
dengue cases and a 'High Depen-
dency Ward in all government hos-
pitals to give immediate attention to
dengue patients."
She added that a thorough screen-
ing of patients would be done using
a m ticulous 'Dengue Care Chart
and 'Clerking Sheet for Suspected
Dengue Cases.
Rosnah said the ministry had ap-
pointed nior medical consultants
called 'Champions' t6 serve in every
state and they would act as a source
of reference for medical personnel
in the treatment and management
of dengue cases.
She said the ministry regularly
carried out dengue mortality review
meetings to discuss and ensure stan-
dard operating p(Qcedures were fol -
lowed in hospitals, guidelines were
adhered to and all circulars and in-
structions from the Health Depart-
ment director-general on dengue
were followed.
These meetings are made up of I
expert advisers on infectious dis-
eases experts on public and family
medicine, entomologists and health
education officials.
New Straits Times 26 April 2012
MIS: 7
Educating
students
about '
dengue
.'
SHAH ALAM: Rentokil Initial will col-
laborate with a number of schools in
its corporate spcial responsibility
programme to raise awareness on
dengue and personal hygiene
among children.
'Its managing director, Carol Lam,
said Initial branches
through ut the country will be or-
ganisingJhe CSR programme.
"The programines include . talks
on dengue awareness and preven-
tion measuies anet op personal hy-
giene to educate the students good
washroom ha its and hand-washing
steps.
"The school canteen operators
were also educated on hygiene, pest
infestation and prevention mea-
sures, followed by a general pest
control treatment in the canteen
area," said Lam during a visit to one
of the selected schools, SK Seksyen
Enam PI Shah Alam. By Masriwanie
Muhamading
New Straits Times 25 Mei 2012
MIS: 7