KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Malaysia is not short of antiviral medication to treat influenza, Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today amid public anxiety over a mystery strain first detected in Wuhan, China that has triggered flashbacks of the deadly SARS epidemic in the noughties.
He said government hospitals have sufficient stock of the oseltamivir medication, commonly known by its brand name Tamiflu.
“There is no shortage of Tamiflu in KKM as it is a contract item supplied by Pharmaniaga,” he wrote in English on his Facebook page, but using the Malay initials for his ministry.
He added that the ministry’s pharmaceutical service programme has not received any notification from Pharmaniaga regarding any shortage of antiviral stock at the moment.
He also gave an assurance that the Health Ministry is speeding up approval of required permits for private hospitals to import the medication to under five days due to an increase in demand.
“Most of the private health facilities that had applied for their permit before the end of the year 2019, have already obtained their stock,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham advised the public to get vaccinated for influenza, which is offered by private healthcare facilities.
He said those at high risk are children under age five, adults over age 65, pregnant women and those who already have serious diseases.
An outbreak of “viral pneumonia of unknown origin” attributed to influenza earlier this month traced to the Wuhan province in China is creating jitters across Asia, which saw over 700 deaths due to SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, in the region in the early 2000s.
Forty-four cases of the latest mystery pneumonia were reported in the Chinese province alone and similar viral respiratory illnesses have been detected in Hong Kong.
Closer to home, Singapore reported its first case last week after an incoming traveller from China fell sick.
Malaysia has not reported any case so far but has tightened up health screenings at all international borders as a precaution.
The influenza virus is part of the Orthomyxoviridae family of viruses and includes seven genera such as Influenzavirus A to D, Isavirus, and Quaranjavirus, and Thogotovirus.
Of these viruses, Influenzavirus A to C primarily infect humans. Its symptoms vary, ranging from the mild like sore throats and runny noses to more severe complications like viral pneumonia, sinus infections and even heart failure.
However, influenza is not categorised it as one of the 31 diseases listed in the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 that requires mandatory reporting for monitoring and statistical records, unlike other diseases like tuberculosis and dengue.
