Health Ministry races to stock aerochambers and nebulisers as haze drives surge in respiratory cases

The Malaysian Ministry of Health has increased medical equipment stocks, including aerochambers and nebulisers, to address a potential rise in haze-related illnesses, focusing on conditions like upper respiratory tract infections, asthma, and conjunctivitis.

They have activated the National Haze Operations Room and are enhancing public health measures through the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre.

Cooperation with other government agencies ensures effective monitoring and communication of air quality warnings, with recommendations for suspending outdoor activities and potential school closures when air pollutant index readings reach critical levels.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — The Health Ministry (MOH) has increased stocks of medical equipment at healthcare facilities nationwide to prepare for a potential rise in haze-related illnesses, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the additional supplies comprised 841 adult aerochambers, 396 paediatric aerochambers and 576 nebulisers to cater for a possible surge in respiratory cases.

He said the ministry had also activated the National Haze Operations Room on Sept 4 and was closely monitoring three main health conditions, namely upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), asthma and conjunctivitis, through 78 sentinel healthcare facilities.

“Through the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC), the ministry is stepping up public health measures in response to rising Air Pollutant Index (API) readings and deteriorating air quality caused by open burning,” he said when replying to a question from Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah).

Cha had wanted to know the ministry’s initiatives to mitigate the impact of haze on public health and inter-agency cooperation in monitoring air quality and protecting vulnerable groups.

Dzulkefly said monitoring at 78 sentinel healthcare facilities nationwide showed that URTI cases surged by 167.21 per cent to 7,065 in epidemiological week 36, compared with 2,644 cases the previous week, due to deteriorating air quality.

On cooperation with other agencies, he said the Health Ministry had been providing technical advice to the Education Ministry and the Higher Education Ministry on suspending outdoor activities when the API exceeds 100, as well as recommending school closures when the reading exceeds 200.

He said the ministry also worked closely with the Department of Environment, the Malaysian Meteorological Department and the National Disaster Management Agency to ensure early warnings and preventive measures were communicated effectively to the public. — Bernama

Sarawak man finds RM1b in bank account, asks ChatGPT to count the zeros — only to discover it’s a glitch

Teenagers among 14 charged in Gurun murder, victim allegedly tortured before body found near golf club

Lim Guan Eng urges Malaysia to sue Indonesia over haze if Jakarta rejects Asean firefighting task force

Prisons Department probes Kajang jail after NGO flags water shortages, dirty food trays and poor hygiene

马来西亚卫生部增加了医疗设备库存，包括气雾罐和雾化器，以应对雾霾相关疾病可能增加的情况，重点关注上呼吸道感染、哮喘和结膜炎等疾病。

他们已启动国家雾霾行动室，并通过危机准备和应对中心加强公共卫生措施。

与其他政府机构的合作确保了对空气质量预警的有效监测和沟通，并在空气污染指数读数达到临界水平时，建议暂停户外活动和可能关闭学校。

吉隆坡，10月15日讯——卫生部今天向国会下议院通报，卫生部已增加全国医疗机构的医疗设备库存，以应对可能出现的与雾霾相关的疾病增加。

卫生部长拿督斯里祖基菲里·艾哈迈德表示，新增物资包括841个成人气雾罐、396个儿童气雾罐和576台雾化器，以应对呼吸道疾病病例可能激增的情况。

他说，卫生部已于9月4日启动国家雾霾行动室，并通过78个哨点医疗机构密切监测三种主要健康状况，即上呼吸道感染（URTI）、哮喘和结膜炎。

“为应对空气污染指数 (API) 读数上升和露天焚烧造成的空气质量恶化，卫生部正通过危机防范和应对中心 (CPRC) 加强公共卫生措施，”他在回答 Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah) 的提问时说道。

Cha 想了解该部门为减轻雾霾对公众健康的影响而采取的举措，以及在监测空气质量和保护弱势群体方面开展的跨部门合作。

祖基菲里表示，全国78个哨点医疗机构的监测显示，由于空气质量恶化，第36个流行病学周的上呼吸道感染病例激增167.21%，达到7065例，而前一周为2644例。

关于与其他机构的合作，他表示，卫生部一直在向教育部和高等教育部提供技术建议，以便在 API 超过 100 时暂停户外活动，并在读数超过 200 时建议关闭学校。

他表示，该部还与环境部、马来西亚气象局和国家灾害管理机构密切合作，确保将预警和预防措施有效传达给公众。——马新社

砂拉越男子在银行账户中发现10亿令吉，于是让ChatGPT帮他数数零——结果发现这只是个故障。

古伦谋杀案中，14人被控，其中包括青少年。据称受害者在尸体于高尔夫俱乐部附近被发现前曾遭受酷刑。

林冠英敦促马来西亚就雾霾问题起诉印尼，如果雅加达拒绝东盟消防工作组。

非政府组织举报加影监狱存在缺水、餐盘不洁和卫生状况差等问题后，监狱部门展开调查。