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Filipinos lulled into false sense of security vs avian flu?
By Tessa Salazar
Inquirer
Last updated 10:56pm (Mla time) 09/29/2006
EITHER we?re very lucky, or we just don?t know it yet.
The Philippines, so far, has not had any reported case of avian influenza (of the H5N1 strain) within its shores yet. The relative calm, however, doesn?t mean there?s no storm approaching, if you ask doctors and epidemiologists.
This seeming immunity from a disease that is already making its deadly presence felt in other Southeast Asian countries may be lulling the country?s citizens into a ?false sense of security,? experts fear. And this could also lead to a situation where the country will be caught by surprise and by the time it prepares for the onset of avian flu, it would be too little, too late.
Dr. Kenneth Hartigan Go, executive director of Zuellig Foundation, urged the private sector during the Philippine College of Physicians health forum, to do more to prepare the public for the eventuality of the disease. He said he disagreed with the idea that keeping the avian flu in check was merely a government responsibility.
Critical industries, services and utilities such as water, telecommunication, food, transport, banking, hospitals and pharmaceuticals, and import/export agencies are all necessary to keep society functioning especially in times of crises, Go said.
Floreen Simon, executive director of Corporate Network for Disaster Response, observed that multinational companies seemed most prepared. As such, CNDR has targeted small and medium enterprises that have not received the right information on the avian flu.
?Even with an incentive program from the government, the notion of a small- and medium-scale backyard farmer or poultry livestock owner killing the chicken than report a suspected bird flu case means there?s a glitch in our preparedness plan,? she said.
The second national summit on business continuity planning: private sector pandemic preparedness will be held Oct. 5 at the SGV Hall of the AIM Acceed and will determine where the country stands against the avian flu. It will also tackle scientific and economic conditions.
Jose Miguel Curameng, program manager for Zuellig Foundation, observed that more businesses are preparing on their own, but would like to learn more and get more in-depth in their preparations. ?We would like to spread this (urgency) to small and medium enterprises.?
Go also urged media to exercise ?social responsibility? in educating the public about bird flu. Though the cases of bird flu may not amount too much, what is alarming would be the fatality rate among the reported cases. An unsettling 60 percent of those who contract the flu die.
The World Health Organization?s avian flu website update shows that of the 25 cases confirmed in Thailand as of Sept. 27, 17 have been fatal (nearly 70 percent fatality rate).
Of the 67 cases confirmed in Indonesia as of Sept. 25, 51 have been fatal (76 percent fatality rate). In Iraq, where three cases have been reported, two were fatal. Of the 21 cases confirmed in China, 14 have been fatal, and of the 14 cases in Egypt thus far, six have been fatal.
?Anything more than 10 percent (fatality rate) is a serious public health concern. If (bird flu) doesn?t scare the hell out of people, I don?t know what else will,? said Go.
Go said he has yet to see a system wherein private hospitals would be able to integrate their management with the DOH or other local government hospitals.
?When the time comes, the (man-made boundaries between government and private hospital systems) will not matter anymore,? he said.
?I think hospitals can be more proactive and reach out to the government. We have manpower, nurses, beds, respirators, drugs. How can we help?? he asked.
By Tessa Salazar
Inquirer
Last updated 10:56pm (Mla time) 09/29/2006
EITHER we?re very lucky, or we just don?t know it yet.
The Philippines, so far, has not had any reported case of avian influenza (of the H5N1 strain) within its shores yet. The relative calm, however, doesn?t mean there?s no storm approaching, if you ask doctors and epidemiologists.
This seeming immunity from a disease that is already making its deadly presence felt in other Southeast Asian countries may be lulling the country?s citizens into a ?false sense of security,? experts fear. And this could also lead to a situation where the country will be caught by surprise and by the time it prepares for the onset of avian flu, it would be too little, too late.
Dr. Kenneth Hartigan Go, executive director of Zuellig Foundation, urged the private sector during the Philippine College of Physicians health forum, to do more to prepare the public for the eventuality of the disease. He said he disagreed with the idea that keeping the avian flu in check was merely a government responsibility.
Critical industries, services and utilities such as water, telecommunication, food, transport, banking, hospitals and pharmaceuticals, and import/export agencies are all necessary to keep society functioning especially in times of crises, Go said.
Floreen Simon, executive director of Corporate Network for Disaster Response, observed that multinational companies seemed most prepared. As such, CNDR has targeted small and medium enterprises that have not received the right information on the avian flu.
?Even with an incentive program from the government, the notion of a small- and medium-scale backyard farmer or poultry livestock owner killing the chicken than report a suspected bird flu case means there?s a glitch in our preparedness plan,? she said.
The second national summit on business continuity planning: private sector pandemic preparedness will be held Oct. 5 at the SGV Hall of the AIM Acceed and will determine where the country stands against the avian flu. It will also tackle scientific and economic conditions.
Jose Miguel Curameng, program manager for Zuellig Foundation, observed that more businesses are preparing on their own, but would like to learn more and get more in-depth in their preparations. ?We would like to spread this (urgency) to small and medium enterprises.?
Go also urged media to exercise ?social responsibility? in educating the public about bird flu. Though the cases of bird flu may not amount too much, what is alarming would be the fatality rate among the reported cases. An unsettling 60 percent of those who contract the flu die.
The World Health Organization?s avian flu website update shows that of the 25 cases confirmed in Thailand as of Sept. 27, 17 have been fatal (nearly 70 percent fatality rate).
Of the 67 cases confirmed in Indonesia as of Sept. 25, 51 have been fatal (76 percent fatality rate). In Iraq, where three cases have been reported, two were fatal. Of the 21 cases confirmed in China, 14 have been fatal, and of the 14 cases in Egypt thus far, six have been fatal.
?Anything more than 10 percent (fatality rate) is a serious public health concern. If (bird flu) doesn?t scare the hell out of people, I don?t know what else will,? said Go.
Go said he has yet to see a system wherein private hospitals would be able to integrate their management with the DOH or other local government hospitals.
?When the time comes, the (man-made boundaries between government and private hospital systems) will not matter anymore,? he said.
?I think hospitals can be more proactive and reach out to the government. We have manpower, nurses, beds, respirators, drugs. How can we help?? he asked.