Flu meds and masks ordered

ANTI-VIRAL medicines and surgical masks valued at close to N$2,5 million have been ordered, and public and traveller information leaflets are being finalised, as the Namibian Government works to ensure preparedness in the case of an outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus, popularly known as ‘swine flu’, in Namibia.

At a meeting of the National Health Emergency Management Committee (NHEMC) headed by Dr Jack Vries, members of the committee yesterday reported back on the tasks assigned to them last week.Victor Muthiani, Acting Chief Pharmacist at the NMPC, reported that 20 000 units of Tamiflu had been ordered from South Africa, but pointed out that only capsules had been purchased because the oral suspension for children was ‘not available, and not recommended for stockpiling’. Originally, the committee had planned to order 14 000 treatments in capsule form and 6 000 oral suspensions.He noted, however, that a liquid formulation for children could be prepared from the capsules. The Tamiflu order, which costs N$2,4 million, is expected to arrive in the country on Monday, May 25.Muthiani also said that 200 000 surgical masks to the value of N$57 400 had been ordered and would arrive shortly.Dr Bashupi Maloboka of the Ministry of Health’s Information, Education and Communication Division also provided a draft of the public information leaflet, with discussions by the committee focusing on the content, style and wording of the leaflet. The Committee agreed that 500 000 leaflets should be printed and distributed to all Namibian households through door-to-door deliveries, the postal system and town or village councils, with additional information being distributed by the media, particularly the radio services.Dr Agostino Munyiri of Unicef also presented the draft information card for travellers arriving at Namibian ports of entry. The card, like the public information leaflet, details the symptoms associated with the H1N1 flu virus, highlights measures to prevent the spread of the flu, and cautions travellers to carefully monitor their personal health, particularly within seven days of their arrival, and to contact a healthcare provider should any of the symptoms appear.These symptoms include fever (higher than 38 degrees Celsius), sore throat, cough, stuffy or running nose, chills, headache and body aches, fatigue, and/or vomiting and diarrhoea. It has been proposed that 100 000 of these cards should be printed, but the final figure has not yet been decided upon.After much debate on both the leaflet and the travellers’ card, particularly on the controversial use of the word ‘swine’ in naming the flu, final changes were made, and printing is expected to begin this week. The officially recognised name of the flu – Influenza-A H1N1 Fl) – will be used, with a note stating ‘commonly known as swine flu’, on the travellers’ cards.Die Republikein newspaper is sponsoring the printing and distribution of the leaflets and cards.The committee plans to meet again tomorrow to finalise emergency preparedness measures, and to iron out a response plan in the event of an H1N1 flu outbreak in Namibia.nangula@namibian.com.na