Pete____________
Ministry moves to halt rise in disease infections
By: APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL
Published: 2/06/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
The Public Health Ministry is preparing to declare provinces plagued by dengue fever and chikungunya disaster zones as the number of people infected with the diseases continues to soar.
The Disease Control Department recorded 1,523 cases of chikungunya in Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala in January. To date there have been over 22,000 cases in 28 provinces.
Health officials are working with the Interior Ministry to seek 50 baht million baht in emergency funds managed by the governor of each province.
The money will be used to curb the disease outbreak, mainly in the four southern provinces where over 95% of the cases have been reported, said Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee yesterday.
"The emergency funds are necessary during this time when we're facing a tough time with a disease outbreak and budget shortage," he said during a visit to Satun to campaign against vector-borne diseases during the rainy season such as dengue fever and chikungunya.
He hoped the local administration budget would help boost the campaign against the diseases.
The department has run out of funds after having spent 200 million baht on supplies such as mosquito nets, insect repellent and chemicals used to eradicate garden-striped mosquitoes, the disease carrier, in rubber plantations, considered to be their ideal breeding grounds.
The deputy minister said the cabinet would also consider endorsing another 90 million baht budget for the ministry for further efforts against chikungunya.
Chikungunya has re-emerged as a threat in the South after being dormant since 1995.
Unlike the sometimes lethal dengue, chikungunya fever is not life threatening and occurs among adults more than in children. However, it can cause severe joint and muscle pain for years.
Paijit Warachit, deputy permanent secretary for public health responsible for the campaign against dengue and chikungunya, said epidemiology studies had to be undertaken before declaring disaster areas in any province.
He did not believe disaster area declarations would hurt tourism.
Department chief Somchai Chakrabhand quoted an epidemiology study as showing that four out of 10 people bitten by garden striped mosquitoes contracted chikungunya whereas two out of 10 bitten by urban striped mosquitoes get dengue.
