http://dapmalaysia.org  

DAP gives 48-hour ultimatum to Health Minister Chua Jui Meng to declare dengue epidemic and launch high-impact anti-dengue counter strategy or DAP will initiate a multi-prong campaign to create nation-wide dengue alert among Malaysians particularly among urban Malays who suffer the highest incidence of dengue cases and deaths Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Petaling Jaya, Thursday): Berita Harian today reported another unnecessary and avoidable death as a result of the lack of awareness not only among the public but also among medical practitioners of the deadly dengue epidemic, former TV3 executive Jamaluddin Johari, 44, whose death yesterday was confirmed as the result of the dengue disease. Jamaluddin first received treatment at the Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) on 29th December but the doctor only gave him medicine and asked him to go home saying that he was only suffering from ordinary fever. According to his wife, Norlaila Mat Jali, 41, Jamaluddin was already having high fever and could not get up, although his blood platelet was still high at 122. On 30th December, Jamaluddin's situation worsened, and was coughing blood. He was rushed to HUKM a second time where his platelet was found to have fallen to 80. The doctor however asked him to go home, suspecting that he was suffering from dysentery (cirit birit). Jamaluddin was only warded when he went to the HUKM for the third time when his mouth became infected and was bleeding. However, the doctor confirmed that the dengue virus had already spread to his heart, and he was admitted to the ICU. This is a tragic and completely unnecessary death which could have been avoided if Jamaluddin had been treated for dengue during his first or even his second visit to HUKM and the Ministry of Health must bear full responsibility for such lack of awareness about the lethal dengue epidemic which had been on the rampage for the past year. I am utterly disgusted with the total indifference and irresponsibility of the Health Ministry and the government authorities to the worst dengue epidemic in the nation's history with over 30,000 cases and over 66 deaths last year despite my repeated media statements, calls and proposals for effective anti-dengue measures, including a four-point proposal which I emailed to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Muhamad, two days ago, If the Heath Ministry had taken prompt measures to respond to my calls for effective anti-dengue counter measures, I believe that at least 20 lives would have been saved, Berita Harian today also reported that as of 28th December last year, there were 9,385 cases and 17 deaths in Selangor. This means there has been an increase of 675 cases in the two weeks from December 14 in the Selangor state, as on Monday, the Selangor exco member in charge of health, Datuk Tang See Hang reported 8,710 dengue cases and 13 deaths for the state last year ending December 14. Tang also gave breakdown figures of dengue cases and deaths for the various states up to December 14, totaling 29,615 cases and 53 deaths. As I pointed out in my statement yesterday, 9 other dengue deaths which had been reported in Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan for last year had not been included in Tang's data, and together with the four additional deaths in Selangor, the total fatalities last year from dengue epidemic would exceed at least 66 deaths. DAP gives 48-hour ultimatum to Health Minister Chua Jui Meng to declare dengue epidemic and launch a high-impact anti-dengue counter strategy or DAP will initiate a multi-prong campaign to create nation-wide dengue alert among Malaysians particularly among urban Malays who suffer the highest incidence of dengue cases and deaths (9/1/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman