- S E G A L A_ M A C A M_ P E N Y A K I T -

fatz

Medisave top-up for elderly aged 81 and above to rise by S$100
By Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 17 April 2008 2113 hrs

SINGAPORE : The government will be increasing the Medisave top-up for those aged 81 and above S$100. This means that instead of getting a S$450 top-up to their CPF Medisave account, they will now receive S$550.

The top-up, to be given out in September, will go a long way in helping this group of Singaporeans pay for their MediShield premiums.

The MediShield premiums will go up after the insurance scheme is revamped to help those in subsidised wards cope better with bigger bills of S$10,000 or more.

When the enhanced MediShield kicks in by the end of the year, those aged 81 and above will have to pay a much higher premium. They need to pay between S$30 and S$40 a month, or up to S$480 more per year.

However, the higher premiums mean greater coverage - 80% of hospital bills will be covered, instead of 60% currently.

The increase in top-up for this group will cost the government S$226 million, up from $220 million.

The top-ups for the other age groups remain unchanged. Those aged between 51 and 60 years old will get top-ups of S$150. Those aged 61 to 70 years old will receive S$250, while those aged 71 to 75 years old will get S$350. For the group of elderly aged between 76 and 80 years old, they will receive S$450 each. - CNA /ls

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April 17, 2008         
HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
Hardest-hit victim, 7, suffers brain damage
Primary 2 schoolgirl escapes death but prone to screaming fits
By Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent


SLOW RECOVERY: Sharmaine, watching TV with her grand-aunt, is in a general ward now. The avid reader is picking up reading material again and cherishes the get-well card from her classmates. -- ST PHOTOS: DESMOND FOO

THE life of a seven-year-old girl suffering from a severe case of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is no longer in peril. But there is still a big question mark hanging over the future of Sharmaine Lee, once a happy-go-lucky Primary 2 pupil and avid reader.

She has been the hardest hit in the ongoing outbreak of HFMD and her brain has been damaged by swelling, a rare complication of the virus. How bad the damage is, only time will tell, doctors told her family.

For now, Sharmaine is prone to screaming and angry fits, said her family, which is keeping vigil at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Sharmaine is among the 2,000 people infected by HFMD viruses so far this month. The 1,000 cases registered last week is the highest weekly infection rate recorded here.

How Sharmaine got the illness remains a mystery, but she has not spread it to anyone else.

The Ministry of Health was unable to give an update yesterday on the number of those who have been infected so far this week. But it said 75 people have been hospitalised this year with this disease, which is normally mild but can on rare occasions result in death.

Sharmaine, who goes to Radin Mas Primary School in Telok Blangah, was infected by the more severe EV71 virus. This was the virus that killed seven children here during an epidemic in 2000/2001.

About 16 per cent of the more than 6,000 cases this year have been caused by this virus, which is seldom seen.

Sharmaine's aunt, Ms Cecilia Koh, 36, who has been spending 18 hours a day at the hospital, said the family would be grateful if she recovers to 90 per cent of her former self. 'So long as she can lead a normal life,' said Ms Koh.

But no matter how Sharmaine fares, 'we'll give her the best we can', said her aunt, who has helped raise the child from birth.

Sharmaine's mother suffers from a chronic illness and her father is the sole breadwinner of the family. So Sharmaine and her six-year-old sister live with her maternal grandmother, while her two older siblings, aged 12 and 15, live with their parents.

Sharmaine developed a fever on April 3 and the characteristic rashes the next day. By April 8, she had become listless and, the following day, appeared to be in a daze. That was when her aunt rushed her to the hospital where she spent three days in intensive care.

Even talking about Sharmaine brings tears to her aunt's eyes. Crying has become a 'habit', said Ms Koh. 'Normally, when she sees me, she'll be jumping around and telling me about her day. Now, I'm not sure she even recognises me.'

But worse than the listlessness are the bouts of violence and screaming. That 'definitely causes heartache', said Ms Koh.

Pretty, bespectacled and with long hair, Sharmaine appeared on the verge of tears, and tantrums, several times yesterday.

While there is no time frame for her recovery, she is much improved from the early days.

Sharmaine is now in a general ward and the child who used to read a story book a day, is picking up reading material again.

She also loves the big card with messages from her classmates, which is stuck prominently on the wall by her hospital bed.

salma@sph.com.sg

fatz2

MediShield policyholders may receive premium rebates
By Hasnita A. Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 April 2008 0457 hrs



SINGAPORE: Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has said MediShield policyholders who do not make any insurance claims will not suffer any losses, as they may receive premium rebates. He said this might encourage more people to stay healthy.

Mr Khaw was speaking at a dialogue session with grassroots leaders on Thursday to discuss, among other issues, the proposed MediShield changes.

Currently, those aged 70 years and above will receive a rebate for every decade they are insured with MediShield. But there is a cap - the maximum they will get is a 40 percent discount on their premiums.

In the future, all policyholders may be able to enjoy such an incentive.

Mr Khaw said: "Incentives are a good idea and many insurers globally are studying this. The philosophy is acceptable because you want to encourage healthy behaviour.

"The difficulty is implementation. Everybody will claim that they lead a healthy lifestyle, they go to the gym three times a week, but unless you put (a) CCTV and record it, it is very hard to prove.

"However, certain aspects are verifiable, like smokers and non-smokers that can somehow be verified through blood tests, and they do say, "alright smokers, your premiums are higher than non-smokers".

"We always learn from each other to see how the insurers do it and if they do, we will build (on) it, incorporate it as well, but collectively we must try and encourage each other, incentivise people to adopt a healthy lifestyle."

Mr Khaw was responding to a question from a grassroots leader who wanted to know if there can be some kind of reward for those who make the effort to stay healthy.

Mr Khaw said he was against premium refunds, as suggested by another participant. "I think the idea of insurance is the healthy pay for the sickly. If the healthy can claim back refunds, then there is nobody to pay for the sickly, so it won't work," he said.

The minister also reiterated that he did not think using Medisave to pay for diagnostic tests was a good idea. Mr Khaw said: "The biggest culprits are the outpatient diagnosis. There's that kind of market exploitation of consumers who are not savvy, thinking that more is good.

"Diagnosis is where the big market is because these are healthy people. The sickly people is a small market of one percent, so all the major equipment suppliers and health supplement companies, they are all eyeing the healthy people because that is where the big market of 99 percent is."

One area Mr Khaw will look into, after some requests, is getting MediShield coverage for babies born with congenital disease and for those with mental health. So far, he does not have a clear solution.

He said: "So how to bring babies with congenital disease in? It is something I have been cracking my head over because first, I thought the liability is not big and with a few adjustments, we can cover but somehow, the actuarial consultant comes back and says, "no, it's a very costly package", so these congenitals are not in."

For those who expressed concern that MediShield does not cover the elderly beyond 85 years, Mr Khaw said that for the time being, nothing much can be done as the number of such people is small.

For this group, he said they would be assured of huge subsidies if they choose B2 or C class wards if they are hospitalised. They can also use their children's Medisave to pay part of their bills. But if they still need help despite all these, there is always MediFund to tap on.

Mr Khaw said: "It's not that we are not sympathetic to those who are more than 85. We would like to raise the coverage too, but in the light of not enough data, the risk pool is so small, it's very difficult."

Other issues brought up include whether the Health Ministry would look into lifelong coverage for MediShield policyholders. Mr Khaw said he expected the age limit to be adjusted according to life expectancy.

The age limit for MediShield coverage has been revised a few times over the years, from 70 to the current 85, as life expectancy in Singapore went up.

This is the Health Ministry's last dialogue session, which aims to gather feedback on the proposed changes to the MediShield.

The views gathered will be taken into account to determine the final outcome of the enhanced MediShield, which is expected to kick in by the end of the year. - CNA/de

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Doctors hope using Medisave for asthma will help more seek long-term treatment
By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 19 April 2008 2146 hrs

SINGAPORE: Now that asthma patients are able to use their Medisave to pay for their outpatient treatment, doctors hope that this will encourage more of them to seek long-term treatment.

Mohammad Hatma nearly died from a severe asthma attack two years ago. The 44-year-old was in a coma for two days. And since that episode, Hatma has made it a point to keep all his medical appointments.

He said: "Before the incident, I used to take the reliever all the time and it was not normal. Now looking back, for a six-hour puff, I remembered I took one puff every three hours which is not normal. But I did not go to the doctor. That is wrong. That is already a signal to say your body is not taking the effect.

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The doctor who first identified hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) here 36 years ago - 75-year-old Dr Tay Chong Hai - is shocked at the recent outbreak of the viral disease, calling it 'unusual'. -- ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN

HFMD: 1,000 cases a week is unusual, says doc
By Nur Dianah Suhaimi


Only five out of 15 students attended a class at Averbel Child Development Centre in Yishun on Friday, as worried parents kept their kids at home. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

The doctor who first identified hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) here 36 years ago is shocked at the recent rapid spread of the viral disease.

Since the current outbreak three weeks ago, more than 2,600 cases have been reported.

Dr Tay Chong Hai, 75, now a skin specialist in private practice, said it was 'unusual' to have 1,000 HFMD cases in a week.

A thousand people were infected two weeks ago.

'When the HFMD virus was first identified here in 1972, there were only 104 cases over three months,' he told The Sunday Times.

Dr Tay was first alerted to the HFMD virus in 1972 when his wife, Dr Caroline Gaw, then a polyclinic doctor, told him she was seeing cases of children with mouth ulcers and rashes.

After studying one patient's stool sample, he realised it was HFMD, which had already been found in the United States, Canada and Britain.

So far this year, 7,050 people have caught the disease. The majority are children. Although no one has died this time, one seven-year-old girl is in hospital with brain damage.

This may be the most serious HFMD outbreak since 2000, when an epidemic killed seven children.

Dr Tay said outbreaks can occur when there is a lowering of 'herd immunity' - that is, there are not enough immune individuals in a community to protect the rest from infection.

This year's spike and rapid spread could be due to more children in childcare centres, more air-conditioned spaces like malls and, possibly, a more contagious strain.

HFMD is a common childhood illness like chicken pox and measles. It is caused by intestinal viruses, the more common strains being Coxsackie virus and Enterovirus 71 (EV71).

Adults may get it as well but children, those under five in particular, are most susceptible.

The EV71 strain, which has infected some 16 per cent of HFMD patients here, is also more contagious, Dr Tay said.

Doctors say there will be outbreaks once every few years. Greater hygiene and isolation help in averting it.

Dr Tay said that unlike measles and chicken pox, there is no vaccine for HFMD. But he had some consolation for those hit by it.

'It's like measles and chicken pox. Once you get it, it's unlikely that you'll get it again.'

ndianah@sph.com.sg

fatz2

MENJAGA KESIHATAN DI SAMPING MELAKSANA HOTA

KURANG 1 peratus. Itulah kadar orang Islam yang memilih untuk dikecualikan daripada tuntutan Akta Pemindahan Organ Manusia (Hota). Ia mencerminkan sokongan baik 70,000 daripada 340,000 warga Islam berusia antara 21 tahun dengan 60 tahun, yang sudah menerima pakej Hota, yang berkuat kuasa 1 Ogos ini. Yang menarik, kadar kurang 1 peratus itu lebih rendah berbanding 1.5 peratus yang memilih untuk dikecualikan di peringkat nasional. Isu Hota telah lama berserabut dalam masyarakat Islam di sini. Pada mulanya Muslim setempat tidak diwajibkan menyertai Hota apabila akta itu dilaksanakan pada 1987.

Namun selepas pelbagai kempen dianjurkan demi meningkatkan kesedaran Muslim, jumlah penderma masih jauh lebih rendah daripada pesakit. Padahal, fatwa begitu jelas menegaskan bahawa menyelamatkan nyawa itu wajar dilaksanakan. Dek bertambah tinggi kadar orang Islam yang menghidap penyakit ginjal, maka timbul suasana darurat. Akhirnya fatwa dikeluarkan tahun lalu yang mengizinkan orang Islam disertakan di bawah Hota secara langsung.

Apakah kadar pengecualian Hota yang rendah ini membuktikan usaha menangani masalah ginjal di kalangan masyarakat Islam di sini telah selesai? Tentu sekali tidak. Langkah segera tentulah mempertingkat kesedaran untuk memelihara kesihatan mereka melalui gaya hidup sihat. Ini termasuk sering bersenam dan memakan makanan seimbang agar tidak dilanda penyakit kronik seperti sakit jantung, kencing manis dan darah tinggi yang boleh membawa kepada penyakit ginjal. Perangkaan menunjukkan masyarakat Islam yang berpenyakit kencing manis dan darah tinggi adalah tinggi. Ini bermakna jika organ didapati daripada mayat Muslim, kemungkinan besar ia kurang sesuai lagi.

Usaha penyedaran ini menuntut peranan Kementerian Kesihatan dan Lembaga Penggalak Kesihatan (HPB) yang menampilkan para pegawai khas Muslim demi mendampingi masyarakat kita. Selain itu badan Melayu/Islam harus bersama Persatuan Bertindak Ginjal bagi Masyarakat Islam (MKAC) agar gigih dalam sentiasa mengingatkan masyarakat Islam mengenai kepentingan memelihara kesihatan. Peraduan gaya hidup sihat di media boleh dirancakkan dengan kreatif agar mesej ini membudaya dalam masyarakat Islam di sini.

sutera_abadi

hmmm.... korang seme setuju ke ngan HOTA??

Originally posted by fatz2 at 22-4-2008 08:17 AM
MENJAGA KESIHATAN DI SAMPING MELAKSANA HOTA

KURANG 1 peratus. Itulah kadar orang Islam yang memilih untuk dikecualikan daripada tuntutan Akta Pemindahan Organ Manusia (Hota). Ia mencerminkan s ...

fatz2

pada fatz, ok la akta tu sut....pasal, org melayu pun ramai yg perlukan pemindahan organ..kalau tak dibuat mcm tu, the chances utk dorang melakukan pemindahan amat tipis...ada yg tak sempat dapat(kidney), dah mati...
asik nak barang org jer...abis bangsa kita sendiri tak rela dermakan utk org lain....
lagi pun, yg dorang nak harvest organ tu bukannya dari yg mati kat rumah...mati kat spital jer...and mostly from accident jln raya...yg muda2....kalau organ tu calar sikit pun dorang tak amik....


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MOH given wider powers to curb spread of infectious diseases
By Hasnita Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 April 2008 2248 hrs

SINGAPORE: Under the amendments to the Infectious Diseases Act that were passed on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is given wider powers to act quickly to curb the spread of infectious diseases in Singapore.

When SARS broke out in 2003, revisions made to the Act allowed the ministry to order those suspected of being infected to be quarantined.

But Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said a virus that is a lot more contagious than SARS would require swifter action.

"In such a scenario, what we can do is (to) restrict and reduce social interactions through social distancing measures, in order to slow the spread of the disease in the community," he said.

"To be effective, social distancing measures have to be implemented soon after the first local cases appear... We would need to have the powers to effect social distancing measures swiftly," he added.

With wider powers, the health minister can declare a public health emergency if there is a significant risk of deaths or disabilities following a disease outbreak. The health minister can also seal off any part of Singapore by restricting movement between zones.

However, Mr Khaw said such a decision has serious implications, so there will be safeguards. For example, every declaration of a public health emergency will expire after 14 days unless renewed. It must also be justified in Parliament, which has the authority to annul the order.

Other amendments to the Act are aimed at curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Under the amendments, not only HIV-positive persons, but those whose lifestyles put them at high risk of contracting AIDS will also have to practise safe sex, and inform their sexual partners of the risk of infection.

While most MPs supported the changes, there were also concerns.

MP for Jurong GRC, Halimah Yacob, said: "With such extensive powers accorded to government agencies, can Singaporeans be given a clear assurance that these powers will be invoked only in very grave situations where alternative arrangements are not workable?"

On the measures to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, Dr Lam Pin Min, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, asked: "If a promiscuous person practises safe sex by using condom every time he engages in sexual activities, is he considered at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS? Will he be considered safe and therefore be absolved of contravening Section 23 of the Act?"

In response, Mr Khaw said the idea is not to criminalise those who are HIV-positive, but to ensure that they act responsibly.

Acknowledging concerns over the wider powers of the ministry, Mr Khaw said a public health emergency will only be declared as a last resort. - CNA/ac

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  Trial programme to treat myopia in children shows positive results
By Hiroshi Limmell, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 April 2008 2332 hrs



SINGAPORE: A year-long trial programme to treat short-sightedness in children has shown good results and it will soon be expanded to include even more children.

But the treatment, which does not involve surgery or drugs, does have its challenges.

11-year-old Vivienne Lee has been undergoing treatment for myopia. She is among 31 students from Evergreen Primary School who has been selected for a special programme.

The children are taught to train their eyes in order to see better. And to do this, they have to focus on images on the monitor for 30 minutes. This takes place three times weekly for a period of three months.

According to experts from the Singapore Eye Research Institute and its corporate partner, Neurovision, this helps the brain-eye co-ordination.

According to results after a year of trials, the experts said children who do not undergo their programme are twice as likely to see their myopic condition worsen.

Vivienne Lee said: "One year ago, my eyesight was 200 degrees; now it is 250 degrees. Actually, this programme stops my... (degrees from increasing) too rapidly."

The people behind the trials are so happy with the results that they are planning to expand the programme this year.

Professor Donald Tan, Director, Singapore Eye Research Institute, said: "What we are hoping to do now is a randomised controlled trial. We have identified four schools with about 240 children and we will be collaborating with several institutions, including the Health Promotion Board, Neurovison, the Ministry of Education and four primary schools."

However, making the children sit through the 30-minute programme remains a challenge.

But if this latest programme continues to deliver results, sitting still is a small price to pay since Singapore has the world's highest number of myopic children aged seven and above.

Already, this brain-training technology has shown positive results among some 1,000 adults since it was launched in 2004. - CNA/vm

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April 22, 2008         
2 preschools, 5 childcare centres with HFMD outbreak ordered to close for 10 days
By Judith Tan and Lee Pei Qi


The last time childcare centres and pre-schools were ordered to shut was during the 2000 outbreak in which seven children died. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

TWO preschools and five childcare centres have been be ordered by the Health Ministry (MOH) to close for 10 days due to the extent of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak there.

Another seven preschools and six childcare centres with sustained transmission have been advised to shut voluntarily for 10 days.

Centres with more than 13 HFMD cases or a sustained transmission of more than 15 days will be mandatorily shut, said the MOH.

Two of the centres asked to shut are located within public hospitals - one at KK Women's and Children's and Tan Tock Seng hospitals.

The number of HFMD cases spiked by 25 per cent to 1,245 cases last week, from the 1,000 a week ago.

Of these, 16 children were hospitalised last week mainly because of poor feeding.

The new cases brought the total number of notified cases since the beginning of this year to 7,560.

MOH's surveillance continues to show a high circulation of Enterovirus 71 (EV71) virus, with 19 per cent of the samples tested positive for EV71 so far this year.

The last time childcare centres and pre-schools were ordered to shut was during the 2000 outbreak in which seven children died.

They were ordered to stay closed at the beginning of October 2000, affecting about 140,000 children aged five and below and their parents.

Closure of a centre will assist in breaking the transmission of HFMD cases and allow the centre to thoroughly clean the premises.

Meanwhile, the condition of the seven-year-old girl hospitalised for encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) on April 9 l is improving.

HFMD is generally a mild and self-limiting childhood disease. It is endemic in Singapore, with yearly seasonal outbreaks.

MOH said the continued rise in reported cases is expected as part of the epidemic uptrend, and is also partly caused by increased public awareness of the disease from our public education efforts.

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April 23, 2008         
Large waist may raise death risk for women

NEW YORK - WOMEN with large bellies may die earlier of heart disease and cancer than other women, regardless of their weight, a large United States study suggests.

The findings, reported in the medical journal Circulation, add to evidence that when it comes to health risks, overall weight is not as important as where a person carries the fat.

Past studies have found that 'apple-shaped' people appear to be at particular risk of clogged arteries, high blood pressure and diabetes. Abdominal obesity has also been linked to certain cancers, such as kidney cancer and colon cancer.

In the new study, researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Harvard Medical School found that middle-aged and older women who were abdominally obese - with a waistline of 35 inches or more - were more likely than their thinner counterparts to die of heart disease or cancer during the study period.

Among the more than 44,000 US women the researchers tracked over 16 years, abdominal obesity doubled the odds of dying from heart disease or stroke, compared with women whose waistlines were smaller than 28 inches.

When it came to the risk of cancer death, women with the largest waists had a 63 per cent higher risk than women who were most trim around the middle.

What's more, the study found, the risks of a large waist were independent of a woman's overall body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight in relation to height. In fact, even among normal-weight women, those whose waistlines spanned 35 inches or more faced a greater risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.

The results highlight the importance of staying trim around the middle as we age, according to the researchers, led by Dr Zhang Cuilin of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

'Although maintaining a healthy weight should continue to be a cornerstone in the prevention of chronic diseases and premature death,' Dr Zhang and colleagues write, 'it is equally important to maintain a healthy waist size and prevent abdominal obesity.'

Excess abdominal fat is thought to be particularly unhealthy because of its metabolic effects. Too much fat in this area of the body appears to raise cholesterol levels, promote insulin resistance - a precursor to type 2 diabetes - and spur body-wide inflammation, which may contribute to heart disease and certain cancers. -- REUTERS

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HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
527 cases in a day raise concerns over outbreak
Big worry: the re-emergence of a deadly strain
By Judith Tan


TAKING NO CHANCES: A health check at Just Kids Learning Place at Jurong East. Some 7,560 people have been infected so far this year. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG


A SHARP rise in the number of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases, coupled with the reappearance of a deadly strain, is heightening concerns about the latest outbreak of the disease.

On Monday alone, another 527 pre-schoolers came down with the childhood ailment characterised by ulcers, rashes and blisters.

This could push this week's total way past the record 1,245 people who fell ill last week. That figure was itself a 25 per cent jump over the preceding week's.

So far this year, 7,560 people, mainly those under 10, have been hit. Most had mild symptoms and got well in 10 days; 16 were hospitalised.

One other thing is worrying: The re-emergence of the potentially deadly EV71 strain, which killed seven children here in the 2000/2001 outbreak. Back then, schools were shut down too.

Checks show that this strain caused 19 per cent of this year's cases.

This was what pushed the Health Ministry into closing three pre-schools and five childcare centres for 10 days, starting today.

Another 12 centres were also asked to do the same voluntarily to break the transmission of the virus, which spreads through contact.

Although Monday's 527 new infections represented just 1 per cent of the more than 50,000 children enrolled in 744 childcare centres, the authorities have lowered the threshold for closing schools.

Schools will now be asked to close voluntarily if children continue to be infected after 15 days; if over the same period, more than 13 children are infected or if more than 18 per cent fall ill, a mandatory closure is ordered.

Previously, when a school hit these figures, inspectors were sent to do a check before a closure was ordered.

The pre-schools and childcare centres asked to close, either mandatorily or voluntarily, spent yesterday informing parents about the closure so they could make alternative child-minding plans.

Most parents accepted the need for the closure even if it meant some inconvenience.

Administrative manager Jeandy Tan, 40, who has a four-year-old son, said the closure would 'put our minds at ease'. But some parents, like administrative executive Valerie Kway, 30, were concerned about getting time off from work.

A Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) spokesman said that parents without any form of social support could arrange with childcare centre staff for one-to-one care.

Many of the centres The Straits Times spoke to said they would use the 10 days to disinfect their toys and thoroughly clean their premises. Some are hiring professional cleaners.

MCYS Minister of State Yu-Foo Yee Shoon said surprise inspections of the childcare centres would be stepped up. She had just visited Kidsville Child Care & Development Centre in Yishun Street 21, which has only had three HFMD cases this year.

She added that there was just so much the childcare centres could do, and that parents had to be responsible about keeping their sick children at home.

Her point was echoed by Mrs Shirley Tan, the principal of the Holy Trinity Kindergarten, who urged parents not to treat the 10-day closure of schools as a holiday and take their sick children out as this would defeat the purpose of closing centres.

Mrs Yu-Foo added: 'The devil is in the daily practice of personal hygiene. If it is observed, I believe we will be able to break the spread of the disease.'

juditht@sph.com.sg

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Daily number of HFMD cases down, 6 more centres to close voluntarily
By Hasnita A Majid/Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 24 April 2008 1923 hrs



SINGAPORE: The daily number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has gone down over the past three days.

From Sunday to Thursday, the number of cases reported is 880, bringing the total number of cases reported since the beginning of the year to 8,440.

Another six pre-schools have also been asked to close voluntarily. They are Catholic Kindergarten at 15 Flower Road, Cheng San PCF Education Centre at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, Calvary Baptist Kindergarten at Wan Tho Avenue, Maris Stella Kindergarten at Holland Road, PCF Ayer Rajah-West Coast Sparkletots Child Care Centre at West Coast Road, and Care Corner Child Development Centre at St George's Road.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health had ordered three pre-schools and five childcare centres to close.

These pre-schools and childcare centres will have to close for ten days to break the chain of transmission of the virus. Pre-schools that have been ordered to close will spend the next one and a half weeks disinfecting their premises thoroughly.

While these centres are closed, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports has strongly advised parents not to place their child in another centre to minimise the possibility of cross-transmission.

Parents are also advised to keep their children at home and not to bring them out to public places.

According to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, although there are more HFMD cases, there have been very few complications among those who are hospitalised.

After recovering from a HFMD infection that was contracted four weeks ago, four-year-old Luis Kok is back at the hospital again with a high fever.

Unlike his previous HFMD episode, this time, Luis has no rashes, ulcers or blisters. But his mother Sheryn Yeo is not taking any chances.

"When he had tonsilitis, we didn't expect it to be HFMD. While he was recovering, I got HFMD. Maybe (it was through) saliva - because I was sharing food with him. Then after that it was my husband who got it," she said.

Doctors said while HFMD is generally a mild childhood disease, adults can be infected too. The infection could also recur if proper hygiene and quarantine measures are not observed. Doctors added that most people recover within a week and only a few need to be hospitalised.

Dr Chong Chia Yin, head and senior consultant of infectious disease at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, said: "Usually we advise hospitalisation if a child has got a change in behaviour - for example, if he feels disorientated or is exceptionally irritable, if there's severe headache, if there's drowsiness."

Although more children are being admitted for HFMD, doctors said it is usually because the child cannot eat and drink well due to the ulcers in the mouth, so they need to be put on drip.

Dr Chong explained: "We're seeing an increasing number of children that are getting admitted for hospitalisation. Most of them get admitted because of poor feeding... so most children actually get admitted for IV drip or rehydration purposes."

"Compared to previous years, there's not much difference. The year 2000 was a more serious outbreak because there were fatal cases. But the death rate is still very very (low), it's only about 0.011 per cent for that particular outbreak in year 2000," Dr Chong added.

There is no vaccine or anti-viral medicine available to treat HFMD, so doctors said prevention is still the best way. - CNA/ac

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Majority of HIV tests conducted only during mandatory health checks
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 23 April 2008 2159 hrs


This rapid HIV test kit uses saliva from a quick swab of your gums, and the results are out in 20 minutes.

SINGAPORE: Rapid HIV testing kits are available at nearly 100 clinics across Singapore, but many still opt for traditional blood tests mainly because they are cheaper.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in Parliament on Tuesday that the availability of rapid tests means testing for HIV is a quick process.

Compulsory health checks for foreign domestic workers and those who need to renew their employment pass are the most common reasons for HIV testing at clinics.

Rapid test kits produce results in just 20 to 30 minutes whereas traditional blood tests can take one to two days as they need laboratory processing.

Dr Daniel Chan, Medical Director of ParkwayHealth Primary Care Network, said that it is hard to tell whether more people will go for testing if the rapid tests are more widely available.

He said: "There's always that worry that if they do test positive, it will need to be notified. That is the greatest barrier actually. People have that biggest fear."

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has to be informed of all HIV positive results. But there are currently three anonymous HIV testing clinics in Singapore and those who test positive in these clinics can actually choose not to seek follow-up action, since they remain anonymous.

And one volunteer said that having more anonymous testing clinics, rather than a wider availability of rapid tests will encourage more people to go for HIV tests. He suggests that polyclinics could provide the right setting.

Hospitals and healthcare providers currently have their own rules on HIV testing for staff. For some, it is voluntary; while for others, it is a requirement for pre-employment health checks.

Nearly 15,000 healthcare staff work for SingHealth hospitals and polyclinics and all existing employees have been offered HIV screening as part of their annual health screening programmes since 2007.

For all new healthcare staff, the HIV screening test is now required as part of pre-employment screening.

Polyclinics under the National Healthcare Group (NHG) employs 800 staff. NHG said HIV screening tests will be offered to staff together with other health screening tests by October 2008.

Meanwhile, HIV testing has been a part of pre-employment health checks for all healthcare workers for several years at ParkwayShenton and Raffles Medical Group. - CNA/vm

fatz

Singapore women know little about causes of cervical cancer
By Chio Su-Mei, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 24 April 2008 2342 hrs


Dr Ann Tan

SINGAPORE: The second most feared cancer for women in Singapore

fatz2

April 25, 2008         
OUTBREAK OF HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
Closed schools begin disinfecting premises
More preschools being asked to close their doors; MOH providing daily updates on cases
By Judith Tan , Sumathi V. Selvaretnam and Lee Pei Qi


SCRUB DOWN: Mr Ramamoorthi, 38, a cleaner, gives the children's toilet at the Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten a thorough clean-up. -- ST PHOTO: EDWIN KOO

AS PRESCHOOLS and childcare centres across Singapore close their doors amid an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), the Ministry of Health (MOH) has begun providing daily updates on new cases, breaking from its routine of weekly bulletins.

Between Saturday and 3pm yesterday, 880 new cases of the common childhood virus were reported, bringing the year's total to 8,440.

While weekly figures still show a rising trend, there are signs that the spread of the virus could be slowing. The number of patients falling sick has dropped in each of the last four days, bottoming out at 46 yesterday.

In the wake of the outbreak, at least 16 schools have, or will be, closed. Another nine were asked to voluntarily pull down the shutters, including six that were added to the list yesterday.

Meanwhile, yesterday was also the first day of spring cleaning at the shuttered schools.

Teachers, principals, caregivers and administrative staff rolled up their sleeves to swab the centres from top to bottom. The disinfection is designed to halt the transmission of HFMD, spread through saliva, blister fluid, faeces and occasionally droplets in the air.

At PCF Tampines East, which was asked to voluntarily close, professionals were called in to service air-conditioners and fumigate the premises.

'We are making sure that every single corner of the centre is clean,' said general manager Benny Yeo.

While the side effects of HFMD are normally mild, the emergence of a potentially lethal strain of the virus has worried health officials. The bug, enterovirus 71 (EV71), killed seven children here in an outbreak in 2000 and 2001. Checks show this strain has caused 19 per cent of this year's cases.

Despite the warnings and a $215,000 public awareness campaign, some parents remained indifferent to the risk of their children coming down with the illness.

Housewife Marissa Koh, 40, told The Straits Times she was not worried about her three-year-old daughter as she felt that a bout would boost her immunity.

Financial controller Jarol Lo, 43, said he found it a 'waste of time' to have his five-year-old boy at home.

'He needs to continue with his education and this will be a good time for him to build up his immune system too,' said Mr Lo.

But doctors warned that unlike chicken pox, which is caused by a single virus, HFMD actually has over 60 different strains.

Dr Wendy Sinnathamby, a consultant paediatrician with the Children's Medical Institute at the National University Hospital, said children will develop immunity only to the strain they contract.

'But the child can still catch HFMD caused by another strain,' she said. 'So mums should not have HFMD parties, like having chicken-pox parties, to boost their children's immunity.'

Some parents are not taking any chances. While PCS Jurong West Centre will be closed from today, fewer than half of its charges turned up for school yesterday.

'The virus seems to be spreading fast. One day doesn't make a difference, so we decided to keep our children at home,' said Mr Tan Lai Soon, a managing director with two children at the centre.

rosslyn

my kolig pulak demam naik turun tak baik2 dah berhari2..kena i gi ofis nari..
haaiii apesal leh sakit time monthend closing...

SweetCandy

alahai kesiannyer U Ross.. kena cover ur kolig's duty.
Musim yg ada sakit demam.

fatz2

Singapura : 28 April 2008         
         
USAH BELI UBAT TIRUAN, DAPATKAN DARI SUMBER SAH

Khaw: Kilang haram asing disyaki di sebalik pil perangsang

Oleh
Hisham Hambari

MASALAH ubat tiruan, termasuk pil peransang seks haram, adalah serius tetapi bukan masalah baru.

Ia telah wujud sekian lama dan walaupun berita tentang bahaya ubat tiruan sering dilaporkan di akhbar, masih ada segelintir orang yang tidak mengendahkan amaran itu.

Menteri Kesihatan, Encik Khaw Boon Wan, berkata sejauh ini ada sekitar 60 kes pesakit disyaki mengambil pil perangsang seks haram dan beberapa pesakit masih berada di hospital kerana komplikasi.

Dua daripada mereka telah meninggal dunia.

Antara pil perangsang seks haram yang dikenal pasti ialah Power 1 Walnut dan Santi Bovine.

'Nasihat saya kepada warga Singapura ialah jangan beli ubat-ubat tiruan di lorong-lorong atau gerai-gerai kecil,' kata Encik Khaw dalam satu sesi dialog di akhir lawatan beliau ke divisyen Geylang Serai, semalam.

Dialog di Kelab Masyarakat Geylang Serai itu dihadiri sekitar 300 penduduk.

Encik Khaw berkata kementeriannya mengesyaki pil-pil perangsang seks itu dibuat di kilang haram asing yang mencampurkanya dengan bahan-bahan mereka sendiri.

'Berdasarkan pil beberapa jenama yang telah kami rampas hasil serbuan, saya mengesyaki kilangkilang yang membuat ubat itu mungkin telah tersalah campur bahan-bahan.

'Jadi ubat itu rosak kerana tercampur dengan ubat-ubat untuk mengawal penyakit kencing manis.

'Jadi daripada menjadi pil perangsang, ia sebenarnya mengurangkan tahap kandungan gula dan para pesakit mengalami koma,' ujar beliau, yang menasihatkan orang ramai agar mendapatkan ubat daripada sumber-sumber sah.

Di sesi dialog lebih sejam itu, Encik Khaw turut menjawab soalan mengenai pembinaan hospital baru di Jurong East, langkah meningkatkan jumlah bayaran MediShield untuk bil hospital dan isu mengenai rawatan menyedut lemak (liposuction).

Beliau juga memberi responsnya terhadap soalan adakah wabak penyakit tangan, kaki dan mulut (HFMD) harus dianggap sebagai penyakit musiman.

'Adakah penyakit itu akan berulang di Singapura? Malangnya, tiada vaksin bagi HFMD. Kalau ada vaksin, hanya perlu suntikan vaksin untuk semua bayi dan masalah itu akan selesai.

'Jadi kita perlu terus mengekalkan tahap tinggi kebersihan peribadi dan sekitaran. Ia boleh dilakukan tetapi memerlukan kerjasama semua pihak,' kata Encik Khaw.

Beliau berkata tidak mustahil bagi sesebuah tadika bebas daripada HFMD, seperti yang beliau dapati di tadika Yayasan Masyarakat PAP (PCF) Geylang Serai, yang dikunjunginya semalam.

Mengenai gesaan agar poliklinik di buka sepenuh hari pada Sabtu dan Ahad, Encik Khaw berkata waktu pembukaan bergantung pada permintaan dan orang ramai masih boleh ke doktor umum, yang menawarkan tahap penjagaan baik.

fatz2

MOH BAKAL TAMBAH JUMLAH BAYARAN MEDISHIELD

Semakan bermula 1 Disember bantu kurangi lagi beban bayar bil hospital

Oleh
Chairul Fahmy Hussaini Dan Hisham Hambari

KEMENTERIAN Kesihatan (MOH) akan meningkatkan jumlah pembayaran MediShield, sekali gus mengurangkan beban yang ditanggung rakyat kerana perlu melunaskan bil hospital yang besar biarpun berada dalam kelas B2 atau C.

Ini diumumkan Menteri Kesihatan, Encik Khaw Boon Wan, di sesi dialog bersama para penduduk di akhir lawatannya ke Divisyen Geylang Serai semalam.

MOH dalam kenyataannya pula berkata langkah itu dapat dicapai kerana pihaknya meningkatkan had tuntutan MediShield pada jumlah yang agak besar.

Semakan itu akan dilaksanakan mulai 1 Disember ini.

Menurut MOH, pihaknya sejak beberapa minggu lalu telah mengadakan tinjauan umum bagi mendapatkan pandangan rakyat berkenaan perubahan yang disarankan untuk skim Asas MediShield.

Perubahan itu dibuat bagi mempertingkatkan perlindungan insurans untuk bil rawatan yang besar - sehingga 80 peratus - bagi pesakit yang berada di Kelas B2 atau C.

Pada masa ini, perlindungan insurans hanya menampung 60 peratus kadar bil yang perlu dibayar pesakit.

'Menerusi dialog dengan pihak kesatuan sekerja, pemimpin akar umbi dan orang awam, kami menerima sokongan padu terhadap saranan itu,' kata MOH sambil menambah bahawa penambahan pada kadar premium diperlukan bagi menampung peningkatan besar pada faedah yang dinikmati pesakit.

Namun, penambahan itu akan berada di tahap yang dimampui.

Bagi membantu warga tua membayar premium mereka, Pemerintah akan menokok akaun MediShield mereka September ini.

Dianggarkan, sekitar 60,000 warga tua berusia 81 tahun ke atas akan menikmati tokokan tambahan sebanyak $100.

Ini menjadikan jumlah yang diterima mereka meningkat - kepada $550 - lebih tinggi daripada $450 yang dijanjikan Menteri Kewangan, Encik Tharman Shanmugaratnam, semasa pembentangan Belanjawan pada Februari lalu.

Di sesi dialog itu, Encik Khaw memberi jaminan MOH akan membantu setiap warga yang memerlukan agar mereka mendapat penjagaan kesihatan yang sewajarnya.

'Jangan bimbang. Jika anda miskin, baik muda atau tua, jika anda memerlukan bantuan MOH akan membantu,' ujarnya, sambil berkata warga juga perlu memainkan peranan dengan bersenam dan menjaga kesihatan.

Mulai 1 Disember ini, MOH akan meningkatkan had pengeluaran tahunan untuk Medisave sehingga $1,150 bagi pemegang polisi yang berusia 80 tahun ke atas, berbanding $800 bagi kesemua pemegang polisi sekarang ini.