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DAP to launch nation-wide campaign tomorrow to demand resignation of Chua Jui Meng as Health Minister for his mishandling of the worst dengue epidemic in nation's history which is still raging out of control six months after the WHO warning last July and the misinformation and blackout of news on dengue incidence and fatalities - raising question whether the number of dengue deaths last year were in three digits Media Conference Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Petaling Jaya, Saturday): The DAP's 48-hour ultimatum to the Health Minister, Datuk Chua Jui Meng, to make public the full data of the worst dengue epidemic in the nation's history, with state and weekly breakdown of dengue cases and fatalities for last year and this year, has expired with total indifference, contempt and lack of response from Chua despite the continued rise of dengue cases and deaths. Guang Ming Daily today reported another totally unnecessary, avoidable and tragic dengue death, 13-year-old boy S.Vickneswaran, youngest in a family of three siblings from Kampung Bengali, Port Dickson, who died of dengue in the Serermban General Hospital on Tuesday. His mother, M. Thana Letchumiy 43, worked at the Shell refinery in Port Dickson. Vickneswaran is the latest case in the long list of dengue casualties who could have been saved if there is a full awareness among the public as well as the medical profession, both in public hospitals and private practice, that the worst dengue epidemic in the nation's history is still raging unchecked causing widespread suffering and claiming lives. Vickneswaran came down with high fever the previous Friday, and was referred to the Port Dickson general hospital after a clinic suspected that it was a case of dengue fever. However, the Port Dickson general hospital treated it as ordinary fever and the boy was sent home with medication. Vickneswaran's condition worsened three days later and on Monday, his auntie took him to back to the PD Hospital, which referred him to the Seremban General Hospital as he was in a critical stage. Vickneswaran died at about 11.35 a.m. on Tuesday. It is most shocking that one of the latest dengue deaths should take place in the constituency of the parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Health, S. Solinathan. DAP grieves with Tana and her family over the unnecessary and avoidable death of Vickneswaran, just as we grieve with the Wazir and Wong families in Kampung Sungai Kerayong, Taman Maluri, Cheras for the three dengue deaths in the 17 days between December 25 to January 11: The two Wazir sisters, Siti Zalikha Mohd. Wazir, 11, and Siti Zaharah, 13, who died of dengue within two days of each other on Christmas Day on Dec. 25 and 27 respectively. Wong Pui San, 13, Form II student with Bukit Nanas Convent with 5As in UPSR who died of dengue at the Tung Shin hospital on January 11, 2003. Who were the real killers of the two Malay and one Chinese girls in Kampung Sungai Kerayong and the Indian boy in Port Dickson - aedes mosquitoes or ministerial negligence and irresponsibility in failing to bring the worst dengue epidemic in the country under control after more than six months of the WHO warning last July? Chua cannot deny that the country is facing the worst dengue epidemic as the Health Ministry has admitted that there were 32,289 dengue cases as of 28th December last year (Sin Chew Daily) - in stark contrast to the last official statement by the Ministry of Health on the deadly dengue outbreak made by its parliamentary secretary, S. Sothinathan to AFP on 1st January 2003 that there were only 10,753 confirmed cases nationwide last year. I find it unbelievable, however, that the Health Ministry is still maintaining the death toll of 57 as at 28th December last year. The Health Ministry''s dengue cases and death toll as of 28th December 2002 are as follows (Sin Chew): State No. of Dengue cases Fatalities Selangor 9,385 15 Kuala Lumpur 6723 2 Johore 4012 16 Perak 3164 10 Kelantan 1768 1 Negeri Sembilan 1574 4 Terengganu 1176 2 Sarawak 972 4 Penang 936 1 Pahang 1022 0 Kedah 718 0 Melaka 355 0 Sabah 303 2 Perlis 181 0 Total 32,289 57 The dengue death toll last year of 57 countrywide falls far short of the total death tally which have been given by the various state government health officials or state exco members responsible for health, as well as mass media reports and anecdotal accounts of actual deaths. Yesterday, I expressed disbelief at the Health Ministry claim that there were only two dengue deaths in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, stating that I would not be surprised if the death toll in Kuala Lumpur from dengue last year was as high as 20 from various anecdotal accounts from the people in the Federal capital. In the first three weeks of the new year, for instance, there are already at least seven dengue deaths in the country which have never been announced by the Health Ministry. This is in fact my 24th media statement in the past 42 days since mid-December in the DAP campaign to compel Chua Jui Meng to reveal the full data about the incidence of cases and deaths in the worst dengue epidemic and face up to his responsibility as Health Minister to spearhead an effective anti-dengue strategy to save human lives but all to no avail. Today, I wish to ask Chua Jui Meng point-blank as to whether the number of dengue deaths in Malaysia last year were in three digits, and not just 57! DAP will launch a nation-wide campaign tomorrow to demand the resignation of Chua Jui Meng as Health Minister for his mishandling of the worst dengue epidemic in the nation's history which is still raging out of control six months after the WHO warning last July and the misinformation and blackout of news on dengue incidence and fatalities. DAP has drawn up a Bill of Indictment against Chua for his failure as Health Minister, particularly in the current dengue epidemic but referring as well to previous disease outbreak where Chua failed to provide the necessary leadership, to reduce to the minimum avoidable deaths and human suffering. This campaign is conceived as the first important step to create belated nation-wide awareness of the worst dengue epidemic to befall the nation and to save lives by stopping any more avoidable dengue deaths and will start from Kampung Sungai Kerayong, Taman Maluri, Cheras which had three dengue deaths in the 17 days between December 25 to January 11. (25/1/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman