Has The Philippines just been dot-marked in the world map for the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus with the announcement of one person confirmed to have been tested positive? And the World Health Organization has been quick enough to commend DOH for its ‘good surveillance system’. Is there a mutual admiration club, somewhere?
Wittingly or unwittingly, DOH has pushed the panic button since it has – without let up – been serving this ‘news staple’ on our table from since the start of this global pandemic. If those pronouncements were early signs, it is almost expected that one day DOH will have to announce to have discovered a case of at least one. Where it failed to do its job on the House Members and more so of Team Pacquiao , now DOH seems to get the most ordinary specimen from somewhere else. Certainly, transparency is always a valid concern that is yet to be satisfied.
We all remember an early announcement made to the effect that the drug is yet to be invented to this kind of new viral strain aggravated by the admission that the machine test for the virus is not locally available such that specimens have to be brought to neighboring countries with much technological capability. In no time, we are being told that such machine is already made available and the drug, more importantly, is likewise aplenty.
Fact is, DOH has in its stocks one million capsules of Oseltamivir, call it the wonder drug if you will, with another half a million more to be donated by a pharmaceutical company (local that is) in two weeks. If things were sleigh of the hand, then it seems that the DOH chief is playing magic. Well, some sort of this – ‘if the hand is quicker than the eyes, the Lady wins. Where will the lady be?”. Incidentally, DOH officials take turns in press conferences to say their piece. And one is just curious of a particular kind of ‘class dominance’ in the health department, why that?
Up until today, we have very serious doubts whether indeed RP should be officially included as having been attacked by the so-called swine flu virus. Political symptoms indicate to me that RP is better off part of that official list since it will justify the government to release awesome funds for the purpose on the one hand, and get every kind of financial package from foreign donor institutions on the other. The third phenomenon is of course the purely economic side of the ledger.
Not accidentally, but possibly purposive, is the need for the local pharmaceutical outfit to produce more capsules than just 1.5 million already in the stockpiles of DOH to satisfy the immediate demand in the market. If this is not state intervention, I don’t know what is – at least perhaps, a more patronizing one. Thus, from a single particular, the scare spreads faster than the virus itself. Something fishy ought to be happening somewhere – the consequences irreversible.
A whole lot of socio-cultural fiction has been spread scaring the wits out of us. Depending on how the larger public will react, the market would just have to be ready to make available all other kinds of health products or anti-influence A(H1N1) pharmaceutical commodities or devices for millions of people. From where I stand, I would suspect that what the DOH is doing is really just pulling the rugs from under our feet. I have yet to hear of more straight-jacketed assessment.
It might make good business sense to scare people. Once scared, they will all troop to the drugstores or pharmaceutical outlets to order their need for personal protective equipment (PPE), which this early, is said to have shore up in its original price like a heated mercury. It challenges reflection that DOH will place under surveillance 17 other individuals last known to have close contact with the single patient who is simply found to have manifested the symptoms of the disease.
It is almost expected that there should at least be 1 other individual from the field of 17 who will later on be found as likewise infected but then again, DOH will always say, the patients have overcome the viral attacks due to ‘good surveillance system’. And for what price? Well, ask the DOH secretary? Common sense tells me DOH should be investigated to vet its parochial findings.
Can we still sing the Happy Birthday song or some funeral hymn – hereafter? Just asking where all these overly conscious ‘nightmares’ all lead us to? Certainly, there must first be an open public discussion of this emerging social concern as much as possible between and amongst experts, stakeholders, possible victims, and the community standard be formulated in a ‘platform’ that is not built on guesswork. We need to hear of a more scientific approach to confront the possibility of any viral contagion from happening. Problem here, DOH was first to play upon our collective psyche via the injection of this ‘fear factor’ into our brains and our hypothalamus.
Let us demand an explanation.
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Surveillance of people who have gotten in contact with suspected H1N1-virus-carriers is standard practice in other countries. I don’t understand why you would say
It should not be the case that Swine Flu rapidly sweeps across SouthEast Asia, but if it does, the Philippines is one of the least prepared. Just look at the Tamiflu-inventory as percent of population:
PHILIPPINES
- Tamiflu stockpile estimated at 1.17 million capsules. Government has placed additional order of 200,000 capsules. The Philippines has a population of 91 million
- Stepped up surveillance and screening of incoming passengers
SOUTH KOREA
- Current Tamiflu stockpile covers 2.5 million people. Has signed deals to secure an additional 2.7 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza, which would increase its total stockpile to cover 10 percent of its population of about 49 million people
TAIWAN
- Stockpiles of Tamiflu and Relenza are enough to cover 10 percent of population of 23 million
THAILAND
- Maintains a stockpile of 3.2 million doses of Tamiflu and has materials to produce another 1 million tablets. It has a population of 65 million
Pinas has Tamiflu for 2% of its population versus 10% (Taiwan, South Korea) or 5% (Thailand). Australia (40%) and New Zealand (30%) Japan (25%).
tamiflu stocks, for me, should not be used as the lone criterion for preparedness. We should look if preventive behavior is being taught and promoted, if the health workers in the country are capable of handling suspected cases, if people are able to recognize symptoms and administer proper measures (such as quarantine the sick), are there policies set for these kinds of diseases (probably, there are as we already had that SARS incident) and other non-medical related activities.
and due to our unique geography, flu medicine need not be able to cover a lot of the population because flu outbreaks will probably be concentrated in certain regions only and not nationwide.
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you see fear mongering, i see health promotion. i also see an opportunity for people to finally learn to cough or sneaze into hankies or their sleeves. Ew… those who cover with bare hands or worse, let it out in the open.
I think the DOH is in a predicament. It costs money to be prepared. If there is no outbreak but they have spent a bazillion pesos getting the vaccine ready, they look like fools. If there is an outbreak and they don’t have the nation prepared, they look like fools.
Rather thankless place to be.
I’m happy they did not decide to kill all the pigs, as Egypt did. I need the fat to keep my arteries thick.
And certainly awareness here is high . . positive.
Joe
UP n,
Something about the whole guesswork thing.
DOH failed to place the politicians and the boxer and others under surveillance because perhaps it lacks the moral suasion.
Besides, the entire scare has been magnified out of proportion and yet, no real no-nonsense approach is undertaken.
They just love to talk in the microphones and the glare of cameras.
Primer: There was no failure, you are mistaken to assume that the politicians and Pacquiao’s entourage needed to be put under surveillance. The health-protocol is for travellers to immediately get medical assistance if they develop any flu-like symptoms within 10 days after arrival from USA. [Of course, China is much more scared so their approach --- to quarantine in their hotels all Mexicans -- had been non-standard. ]
But I won’t argue about Pinoy government officials who love to talk into microphones and be in the glare of cameras.
That 10-day window is for travellers who did not have flu-symptoms when they were scanned at the airports.
[And dang... I so wanted Cleveland to lose but Lebron just hurled the 3-point winning shot!!!]
It’s just a matter of time when the tri-hybrid of a virus Influenza A (H1N1) will mutate (or scientifically correct, “genetically reassort”) into something that is wild, dangerous even deadly microorganism. With human-to-human transmission on its 3rd or 4th generation in other parts of the world the chance of this mutation or genetic reassortment is becoming higher. Let’s hope the vaccine will come before that inevitable possibility.
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Case definitions are available on CDC and WHO websites and those that are reported to have been afflicted, have recovered or have died are LABORATORY-CONFIRMED cases.
Guesswork is akin to a deductive reasoning detectives employ. High index of suspicion, i.e.,presence of flu-like symptoms WITH history of travel to affected areas, in a person would mean necessary confinement, diagnosis and treatment to that person. Contact tracing of that person is imperative in order to identify possible infected cases and also to prevent further transmission of the virus.
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Restriction of movement is being done to suspected cases while voluntary self-quarantine or social distancing is ONLY a request to those who were in good health at the time of arrival from countries with known cases. The latter group of travelers are likewise instructed to immediately seek medical attention if flu-like symptoms will manifest on them within a week of arrival. Ask the two Davids (Cook and Archuleta) if they acceded to the request…
I’m pretty sure DJB (psychoanalyzing him somehow) monitored Pacquiao’s health after their chance encounter at the Makati hotel early this month.
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The swine is believed to be the basin of the genetic reassortment or, in practical sense, the exchange of DNA of the human, bird, and swine flu viruses (or virii?). Who knows who the mixing vessel will be among humans? Will it be baycas or UPn, or even Primer? We won’t know.
Common sense will dictate us to avoid getting sick especially with a rapidly-evolving disease such as influenza A(H1N1). It’s better the DOH does its job (regardless of their talk manners)…the job popularly sloganned:
We scare…
Because we care!
“Deadlier” microorganism, I mean.
way to go Philippines, make it sound all cool when they also knew 4 days ago about the mother and daughter that contracted it in Manila with a bunch of others at an international yoga thing.
Yea! Go for the GOLD!
UP n,
Did you fail to know that while it is the plan of DOH to first quarantine the Team Pacquiao as it is with those congressmen who came to watch, the same cannot be enforced on them except by moral suasion, which means a self-imposed quarantining for a prescribed number of days.
The health protocol you are saying is that which requires everyone to pass through the thermal scanner and if found suspicious, they will be brought to San Lazaro for further evaluation. Otherwise, there is no such thing as a health protocol really being observed.
Are you in the Philippines? It seems you can see things far-sightedly.
Primer: I guess you are not in Metro-Manila because you missed the parade. Pacquaio did not quarantine himself in a hotel-room, he visited Malacanang. You can get pictures here:
http://www.pacquiaovideo.com/2009/05/manny-pacquiao-malacanang-palace.html
But that occasionally you see things differently from folks in Manila or from folks in Canada… that’s normal, so keep on blogging.
Swine Flu is no more than common flu. Only, it was sensetionalized in
the Media.
I do not know flu-deaths per year in Pinas but the common flu kills 500,000 a year world-wide (36,000 a year in USA), so flu is always fearsome. The current swine flu has no vaccine as of April2009, so H1N1 is more fearsome.
The good news is that apparently before winter and the 2009-2010 flu season starts, the USA will have vaccines against H1N1 for its population. The hope — that there won’t be a doubling or tripling of flu deaths in USA because of H1N1. Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
… daaaaang
… whaaaaat??? …flips are worried about the swine flu?
… 90% of flips live in a squalid environment where flu virus dare not propagate…
… 60% of flips eat garbage straight from chowking’s, jollibees, mcdos, etc garbage bins…
… flips are immune from anything… ate glo&magnanakaws’ cure: ‘sang tambak na ama namin, ave ginoong marias, and a series of breakfast prayers sa shang-ri la will do the trick…
wazzup wazup homey!
… daaaang
… i don’t know you!
… y’all leave me alone…
… ay sus ginoo… i’m bored already… and i have not started yet…
‘insan… ano ba yan
sumobra ata tulog mo sa ilalim ng talisay tree :lol:
bongV, ya recruiting more reinforcement, yar sanpits now, ya gonna bring your poppa too? an’ whars your renato, cmon yaller for ‘em now.
PARENG ULO s on a roll!!!!!! :)
… daaang
… flu stats&graphs, medical breakthroughs, new med miracles, etc., etc… are available for public consumption…
… and, it does not apply to flipland…
… firstly: ate glo&magnanakaws aka ladrones garapales do an outstanding job of lieing (they deny everything bad reported by world bodies)… to make them look good…
… secondly: hey y’all… put your kukotes on a swivel… spin it around… and what did y’all see???
… don’t lie…
There isn’t panic BTW. If one of the “exclusive” schools report a case of H1N1 flu, then expect conyos to panic!
… daaaang
… HEADLINE: “porky pig mickey arroyo comes down with a swine flu… the lechon industry in shambles”… (a swine afflicted with a swine?)
… or better yet, “a patient from asian medical or st lukes afflicted with swine flu”… all ladrones garapales will ‘bakwet to ‘merka for treatment…
… the gung gong flips will be down on their knees to pray for their recovery… while they (gung gongs) starve…
your comments are really apropos to this thread – a pretentious nonsense. truly a perfect fit.
Watch yo mouth, Bencard. He’s my long lost brada!!!! :)
Renato, you and ulong a twins?
… daaaang
… bencard naman namannn namannnn…
… picture this: an insect on a flower sees a petal… ulong pare sees the entire flower
Don’t worry Renato, it is crystal clear, that this stupid guy has long been betrayed all pretentions against ad hominem. It is his only way out of the noose since his legal knowledge cannot even be let to shine in our FV horizon. ____ naman kasi, eh.
Always, the easy way to seemingly win pseudo points, is ‘attack the messenger, not the message’. As I am wont to repeat, _____ nga kasi. San ba yan nagaral if I may use reyna elena here?
… daaaang
… like swine flu, i travel thru web threads… exposing flips/flipflams goody-goody suckcesspool ooooopsie successful life (daw)…
… some reached their goals and lost their selves in the process… others are/were unfortunate, nevertheless, sampakan pa rin yabang… a malady which swine flu has no match…
There are already those of us who left this place as there are virtual ‘little children’ throwing stones when cars pass by causing undue accidents to the peril of the more enlightened minds.
They sure are still here waiting for the unseen opportunity to throw stones right in your windshield because that seems to be their cheap concerns.
Enlightened debate is not even allowed to proceed. Perhaps, DJB is correct – somehow bloggers must exercise self-imposed restraint if not comments that have nothing to do with the points discussed in the blog be subjected to ‘thought controls’.
… daaang
… if the “more enlightened minds” take the opportunity to examine the stones that hit their windshields, they’d realize that it was thrown for a purpose… to wake y’all up from your fantasies and bring you back to reality…
… the little children remind that everyone is lost in distorted priorities…
Just today at an interview with Arnold Clavio, the health secretary cannot avoid using words such as – posible, sila daw, mukhang …, siguro, et cetera – or words that simply border on speculations in updating the listening public on the extent of the influenza A(H1N1).
I am beginning to think that all these are nothing but a haux. Remember the other scares in the past – the SARS, the avian flue, hepa, and so on?
Further, just today, I read from the column of a doctor from St. Lukes Medical Center that who heads the Institute for Communicable Diseases that this A(H1N1) is not airborne. It requires ‘droplet’ prevention so as not to contact the virus. And more.
But the way the health secretary puts it, anyone can be a suspect hence his new myth of ‘contact tracing’. At a later time, I will react to this kind of scare being perpetrated as probably just a haux.
first, it’s hoax. with that out of the way…
I haven’t heard that interview but the secretary must be playing on the safe side. Health is a funny issue because you cannot spout conclusions all the time. The general rule is if there is a plausible mechanism, you don’t dismiss it unless you have good proof of otherwise.
SARS, avian flu, hepa. Just scares?! Hepa is not a scare of the past. We’re still grappling with these viruses despite the availability of vaccination programs, despite multiple regulations for sanitary conditions. SARS might have subsided but it’s not just luck that the Philippines were spared from a SARS epidemic.
influenza has always been primarily transmitted through droplet nuclei, a fact DOH heads will probably know as most (if not all) are MDs. I’m sorry… and what do you propose the DOH do instead of contact tracing?
For the DOH secretary to shut up.