WHO Representative to the Republic of Maldives Dr. Arvind Mathur said that all three levels of World Health Organization (WHO) is providing technical and supply related support to Ministry of Health in tackling the flu outbreak.
During an exclusive interview with Public Service Media (PSM), the WHO Representative to Maldives said that the WHO country office in Maldives, South East Asia Regional Office in New Delhi and the Headquarter in Geneva are all working to provide any required assistance to Maldivian authorities in tackling the seasonal flu and H1N1 outbreak experienced across the country.
Dr. Mathur said that Maldives is certainly witnessing the seasonal flu cases, the influenza A H1N1 virus, which is actually is part of a seasonal flu. Regional countries, including neighboring Sri Lanka and India is also experiencing similar outbreaks of flu cases, he added. WHO representative said that the flu, being seasonal one, is expected to continue to circulate and that certainly some of the population remain at higher risk. WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health as a technical collaborator and assessing the risk to understand the situation, also to look at what majors are to be taken to prevent spread of flu, Dr. Mathur noted.
"As of today we have been able to support the health ministry with 2000 capsules of Temiflu and another 10,000 capsules would be arriving very soon. We have also been able to bring universal transport media, UTM for lab investigation, to test flu at laboratories. At the same time the other requirements, such as the N95 masks, face shields and gowns for health workers are also being procured. We are also working on MOH request for vaccines. And we have been working together with regional office and headquarters to see how soon how best to bring vaccines, which will certainly add to the vaccines which have already been procured by the Ministry,” Dr. Mathur said.
During the interview, Dr. Mathur praised the health authorities for taking appropriative actions since the flu outbreak, such as providing preventive information to public, setting up flu clinics and medicine distribution centres across the country, providing vaccinations to the vulnerable groups. Ministry of Health is also keeping a close watch on all cases and situation, Dr. Mathur further added.
In conclusion, Dr. Mathur said that protective preventive measures against spread of flu and other such communicable diseases is possible through the combined efforts of not only the health service providers and ministry but also the public. He said general steps can be taken to prevent spread of the flu by refraining from going out in the public when you have the flu, covering mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing and keeping surfaces of public places clean.