Sally Furniss
Well-known member
US exec says GIs not swine flu carriers
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:09:00 06/04/2009
Filed Under: Swine Flu, Health, Epidemic and Plague, Military
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines?American soldiers being deployed to the Philippines do not carry communicable diseases, including the dreaded Influenza A (H1N1) virus, a US military commander said Wednesday.
US Air Force Maj. John Hutcheson, public affairs chief of the Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP), told reporters that American soldiers undergo medical checkups before they are sent here from their bases in Japan and Guam.
?No US service member assigned at the JSOTFP tested positive for H1N1 and no US service member assigned to JSOTFP has been suspected of having swine flu,? Hutcheson said.
He issued the assurance amid public concern over the increasing number of cases of A(H1N1) infection in the country.
American soldiers have been arriving here and in some parts of Luzon for the Balikatan exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
No thermal scanner
Celso Bayabos, Zamboanga City Airport manager, said arriving US forces were not subjected to thermal scanners here because the equipment is not available.
He said the Air Transportation Office (ATO) simply coordinates with the Bureau of Quarantine and the Philippine Air Force to verify the health status of arriving US soldiers.
?Aside from the fact that we don?t have thermal scanner and the funds to purchase it, we don?t have any jurisdiction over them (US Forces),? Bayabos said.
But Hutcheson said he can assure that US soldiers arriving here are free of any communicable diseases.
?The US military is doing everything possible to ensure that soldiers who are deployed to the Philippines are healthy and ready to perform their mission,? he said.
Need basis
Among the steps taken by the US military, according to Hutcheson, is for ?all of our troops (to) undergo a pre-deployment medical screening.?
?If needed, for any type of communicable disease, a member will be quarantined or if deemed necessary, transported out of the country via US military medical assets. Troops showing symptoms of sickness will not be deployed,? he said.
But Fatmawatti Salapuddin, of the Bangsamoro Women Association in Sulu, said authorities should not be complacent even with the assurance issued by the US military.
?They have denied distributing Bibles in Afghanistan, so can we trust their pronouncements?? Salapuddin said.
Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad said it was better for US soldiers to submit themselves to local checkup before they are deployed anywhere in the country. Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquir...08676/US-exec-says-GIs-not-swine-flu-carriers
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:09:00 06/04/2009
Filed Under: Swine Flu, Health, Epidemic and Plague, Military
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines?American soldiers being deployed to the Philippines do not carry communicable diseases, including the dreaded Influenza A (H1N1) virus, a US military commander said Wednesday.
US Air Force Maj. John Hutcheson, public affairs chief of the Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP), told reporters that American soldiers undergo medical checkups before they are sent here from their bases in Japan and Guam.
?No US service member assigned at the JSOTFP tested positive for H1N1 and no US service member assigned to JSOTFP has been suspected of having swine flu,? Hutcheson said.
He issued the assurance amid public concern over the increasing number of cases of A(H1N1) infection in the country.
American soldiers have been arriving here and in some parts of Luzon for the Balikatan exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
No thermal scanner
Celso Bayabos, Zamboanga City Airport manager, said arriving US forces were not subjected to thermal scanners here because the equipment is not available.
He said the Air Transportation Office (ATO) simply coordinates with the Bureau of Quarantine and the Philippine Air Force to verify the health status of arriving US soldiers.
?Aside from the fact that we don?t have thermal scanner and the funds to purchase it, we don?t have any jurisdiction over them (US Forces),? Bayabos said.
But Hutcheson said he can assure that US soldiers arriving here are free of any communicable diseases.
?The US military is doing everything possible to ensure that soldiers who are deployed to the Philippines are healthy and ready to perform their mission,? he said.
Need basis
Among the steps taken by the US military, according to Hutcheson, is for ?all of our troops (to) undergo a pre-deployment medical screening.?
?If needed, for any type of communicable disease, a member will be quarantined or if deemed necessary, transported out of the country via US military medical assets. Troops showing symptoms of sickness will not be deployed,? he said.
But Fatmawatti Salapuddin, of the Bangsamoro Women Association in Sulu, said authorities should not be complacent even with the assurance issued by the US military.
?They have denied distributing Bibles in Afghanistan, so can we trust their pronouncements?? Salapuddin said.
Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad said it was better for US soldiers to submit themselves to local checkup before they are deployed anywhere in the country. Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquir...08676/US-exec-says-GIs-not-swine-flu-carriers