Healthcare Personnel Well Trained To Manage Ebola - Health Ministry

By NUR ASHIKIN ABDUL AZIZ PUTRAJAYA, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Healthcare personnel in Malaysia are trained and equipped with guidelines to ensure they are prepared to manage any eventuality of Ebola in the country. Health Ministry's Director of Disease Control division, Dr Chong Chee Kheong said as Ebola spreads through close contact with sick patients, it was important that the front-liners know how to protect themselves and at the same time curb the spread of the disease. "Currently staff at the National Public Health Laboratory in Sungai Buloh are trained to diagnose this disease through blood samples. Previously only the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) had the capacity," he told Bernama in an interview at his office, here Wednesday. Dr Chong also said the ministry’s personnel were sent for training and re-training from time to time, especially with any outbreak of diseases around the world. He said although assessment made by his team found that the probability for Ebola to spread in Malaysia was quite low due to a lot of factors, including the travelling pattern into Malaysia, the ministry was not taking any chances and would continue to educate the public on the matter. "In today's global world, the chances of any disease arriving at our shores is always there. What is important is that the level of preparedness as well as the information that we are giving to the public on the disease that we found along the way," he said. Most Africans travelling to Malaysia are students and currently 9,820 students from that continent are pursuing studies in Malaysia. The number of students from Ebola hit countries are 246 from Guinea, Sierra Leone (21 students) and Liberia (13 students). He said as soon as any notification of suspicion was raised by any medical institution, the standard operating procedure (SOP) for any infectious disease would be activated. The ministry's Rapid Response Team (RRT) and Rapid Assessment Team (RAT) would be send to investigate by interviewing the patient to find out his or her travel and contact history, he said. He added that if the patient showed symptoms of Ebola, they would be brought to the hospital using designated ambulance and then treated, in either an isolated room or ward, to avoid any further contact with others. Dr Chong said patients will be treated based on the symptoms and clinical status or known as symptomatic treatment like what was done with dengue patients as both are hemorrhaging diseases without cure at the moment. Chances of recovery is much better with enough medical support and early diagnosis, he said. "What is important is personal hygiene and that is not just for Ebola but all kinds of diseases. The precautionary measure includes washing your hands and wearing masks," he said. Total death from Ebola so far is 1,013 people. The WHO website also said that to date more than 170 healthcare workers have been infected with Ebola and at least 81 have died from the disease but thus far, no case has been reported in Malaysia. Ebola's symptoms include high fever, vomiting, diarrhea and kidney and liver failure. WHO, the Geneva based UN agency has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. -- BERNAMA