Immunisation Must For Relief Aid Workers Going To Tsunami-Affected

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- All relief aid workers from Malaysia heading for countries affected by the tsunami must take immunisation jabs and antibiotics as a precaution against epidemic diseases.

Kuala Lumpur Hospital Emergency Department Head Datuk Abu Hassan Assari said the preventive measure was important to protect them from being exposed to such diseases in these countries when there is an outbreak.

He said the possibility of an epidemic outbreak of diseases in affected areas like Acheh, Sri Lanka and India was highly likely due to the prevailing conditions there.

"Apparently there is a lack of clean drinking water, the environment is polluted and there is a lack of medical supply to contain such an outbreak.

"Under normal circumstances, areas affected by such tragedies are prone to malaria, cholera, yellow fever, dengue, gastro-enteritis, dysentery and post- traumatic stress disorder," he told reporters at his office here Tuesday.

He said relief aid workers should take such immunisation that can be received at any government hospital at least a week before leaving to their destinations.

They should also be equipped with basic necessities like disaster overall suits, sleeping bags, raincoats, safety helmets, gloves, water-proof boots, masks, mosquito repellents and first aid boxes.

He also advised those on duty to drink only boiled water and avoid working in highly contaminated areas for a long time and treat cuts and bruises immediately.

"For those who do not get immunised before leaving, we will conduct a thorough check when they come back.

"We are not too worried about those sent by the government as they will receive a complete checkup; I'm only worried about individual volunteers and relief workers from non-governmental organisations. They must come forward to seek a thorough checkup on their return," he said.

He said two operations rooms had been set up to provide medical assistance -- the Bilik Gerakan Bencana HKL (tel: 03 - 2615 5370/73) and the Public Health Department at the Health Ministry in Putrajaya (tel: 03-8883 4700)

----BERNAMA

There is real danger of humanitarian volunteers working in the tsunami devastated regions getting communicable diseases especially the waterborne and those carried by mosquitoes. Though yellow fever is mosquito-borne, it is only present in sub-Saharan Africa and South America. There is no danger of yellow fever in Southeast Asia or the Indian Subcontinent. So those humanitarian workers going to Indonesia and Sri Lanka or India do not require yellow fever vaccination.
A very important issue to note is that active vaccination does not provide the one vaccinated with immediate protection. In most cases, some weeks are required before the vaccinee's body forms sufficient antibodies to confer immunity. The other point to note is that even after some weeks of being vaccinated, vaccination does not protect all vaccinees.
Going into the tsunami devastated areas, those volunteers who don't come from malarial endemic areas should arm themselves with malarial prophylaxis. Presently there is no malarial vaccine.
The following CDC [Center for Disease Control] sites give better accounts for those who intend to travel to help in the tsunami affected places ::

1. Interim Vaccination and Malaria Prophylaxis Recommendations for Persons Traveling to Areas Affected by the Tsunami
   
2. Health Information for Humanitarian Workers
   
3. Notice for Travelers to Tsunami affected areas
   
4. Health Recommendations for Workers who Handle Human Remain
   
5. Sanitation and Hygiene

To all those who intend to travel to the areas to help, the best of luck and do take care.