Govt hands out free flu drugs

[Admin]

Govt hands out free flu drugs
Across-the-board effort to fight H1N1 outbreak
Writer: APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL
Published: 3/08/2009 at 12:00 AM
 
Newspaper section: NewsFree flu drugs are being made available today at state and private clinics as part of the Public Health Ministry's latest effort to combat the spread of type-A (H1N1).

The ministry hopes the antiviral drug supply at clinics will solve problems of delayed treatment which can prove fatal in some severe flu cases.

Thirty-one clinics in Bangkok have been certified by the ministry to prescribe oseltamivir phosphate (the generic form of Tamiflu) to flu patients. More clinics in the capital and other provinces will be authorised this week if they meet requirements set by the ministry's guidelines on flu drug prescription.

There are about 2,100 private clinics in Bangkok and 14,900 in rural areas.

Each authorised clinic has received 50 tablets of oseltamivir, enough to treat five people with type-A (H1N1), said Somyot Deerasmi, chief of the Department of Health Services Support.

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation produces and trades oseltamivir under the brand GPO-A-Flu at a cost of 25 baht a tablet. The medicine will be given free to patients at private clinics but patients will have to pay for other drugs and medical services, Dr Somyot said.

Health officials yesterday held a meeting with doctors running private clinics in the city as a preparation for oseltamivir distribution. Dr Somyot said private clinics would be closely monitored to ensure they strictly follow clinical guidelines.

The National Health Security Office will oversee 130 clinics in the city while provincial public health officials in each province will closely monitor treatment standards and prescriptions.

The ministry guidelines state that only doctors at clinics are authorised to prescribe the antiviral drugs.

The clinics must report to the Public Health Ministry all cases experiencing drug side-effects. Any severe cases must be immediately transferred to a hospital. A follow-up on flu symptoms of patients must be conducted.

Clinics must be equipped with an infection control room. Any treatment of flu cases must be closely monitored and evaluated every month.

Dr Somyot said specialised clinics providing medical care for pregnancy and chronic diseases such as heart and kidney ailments and diabetes are not participating in the project because of fears their patients - who fall in the high-risk category - might contract the virus from visiting flu patients.

It was necessary for doctors and clinic operators to set aside patients with flu symptoms, he said.

Tara Chinakarn, director of the Medical Registration Division, said a guidebook on type-A (H1N1) prevention at clinics would be distributed. The details include a recommendation for patients to wear masks while waiting to see doctors. Hand cleansing gel, wash basins and bins must be available at each clinic.

Paijit Warachit, deputy permanent secretary for public health, said flu drugs would also be supplied to provincial public health offices, which would distribute them to clinics meeting the clinical practice standard of each province from today.

The GPO earlier said the country had enough antiviral drugs to treat 10% of the population. The state drug firm is manufacturing a further 20 million tablets and will import raw materials to produce 40 million more.

Thailand last Wednesday reported 65 flu deaths and 8,877 infections while health authorities estimated more than half a million had contracted type-A (H1N1).

[nookiebear]

I live next door to the local government clinic,,,,,,,,,,absolutely astounding how many people have been there today.
Something 'for free' & they've all suddenly got the symtoms of swine flu,,,,still TiT