Reporters made to go on merry-go-round to ascertain truth on HFMD situation
MIRI: There are cases of hand, mouth and foot disease ( HFMD) here and in Sarawak.
The disease could spread rapidly, especially among young children, through close contacts as well as mass congregation and movement of people during the festive period.
These are known facts and in Miri several classes in two primary schools have been advised by the Health Department to close as precautions to prevent the spread of the contagious disease.
A notice from the Ministry of Health pasted on the wall of a school yesterday said: ‘ Under Section 18(1)(d) Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, 1988. I, an officer given the authority to order closure of fully/partially this premises from March 7, 2018 until the premises is free of germs, insects or rats, which could spread the contagious diseases to the public.”
It is reliably learnt that such notice was issued due to the HFMD cases in the school, and the notice has been made viral in social media, and also given to The Borneo Post.
However, efforts to get confirmation from the authorities – the Health and Education departments - on the real situation and whether the disease has reached epidemic level, was frustrating.
Check with Miri Hospital director Dr Jack Wong confirmed there was no admission but believed there were cases, adding that patients could have gone to clinics or self- quarantine at home.
Several phone calls were also made to the offices of Divisional Health officer and District Education officer, but both were away. Their personal assistants suggested that their respective directors should be contacted instead, which was done.
However, the PAs of both directors too referred a reporter to another officers in both departments who were said to be in the ‘ real picture’, and when they were called, they said they were not authorised to issue any statement to the media.
“In this digital era, do reporters have to be given this merry- goround treatment by the authorities, thus forcing the public to rely on news on social media and not the primary media?”
However, efforts will be made to get more details/confirmation today, so as to keep the public well informed on any outbreak or how to prevent the spread of the disease.
Early this year, director of the state Health Department Dr Jamilah Hashim alerted the public to take the necessary precautions against HFMD in view of an expected increase after the Chinese New Year.
“Parents should consult a doctor early if their child has fever, mouth ulcers and rashes on the palms, soles of their feet or buttocks. Children with HFMD should remain at home until the blisters have dried up. During this period, contact with other children, including siblings, should be avoided until the child recovers. The child should not be brought to any public or crowded places,” Dr Jamilah said.