Ministry earmarks B300m for flu shots

The Public Health Ministry is setting aside more than 300 million baht to buy the first batch of influenza type-A (H1N1) vaccines when they hopefully arrive in October.

Health authorities in Nan province show students at Rajanubal School in Muang district the proper way to wash their hands to help curb the spread of type-A (H1N1) flu virus. Thirty-eight students at the school have developed flu-like symptoms. RARINTHORN PETCHAROEN

A million doses of the vaccine from France-based Sanofi Pasteur, costing about 240 baht a dose, will be imported within three months, followed by another million doses from GlaxoSmithKline Inc in January at the latest, said Vichai Chokewiwat, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation board chairman.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai will talk about the details of the vaccine import and distribution, which will be supervised by the National Health Security Office, on Monday.

Progress on importing the vaccine comes at a time when fears over the rapid spread of the virus and mounting flu deaths are gripping the country.

However, not everyone will get the much-awaited vaccine shots, which will be given to medical staff and soldiers first, said Kamnuan Ungchusak, disease control department spokesman.

"Both hospital professionals and soldiers are on the front lines of national security," Dr Kamnuan said. "They must not get sick."

Many medical professionals are reporting contracting the flu as they have to deal with thousands of patients at hospitals each day.

Soldiers and officials involved with national security, particularly those in the South, could not be allowed to fall ill, he said.

In addition, 2.4 million Thais with chronic health problems, such as lung, heart and kidney diseases, asthma, paralysis, diabetes and cancer, were also vulnerable to the new strain of flu, judging from the deaths reported so far.

The ministry yesterday confirmed three more flu fatalities.

A 52-year-old man from Bangkok died on Wednesday from a severe lung infection. He tested positive for influenza type-A (H1N1) on Saturday.

The man had pre-existing health problems, suffering from colon cancer and kidney failure.

A 45-year-old man from Bangkok died at Kasemraj Hospital on Monday after being sent to hospital with a lung infection and high fever the previous day.

A 17-year-old girl from Maha Sarakham died yesterday at Sri Nakharin Hospital in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen after being hospitalised for a week.

The severity of the type-A (H1N1) outbreak in Thailand, adapted from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standard, now stands at level 2, reflecting a fatality rate still lower than 0.4%.

Dr Kamnuan expected 20% to 30% of the population of cities to "sooner or later" contract type-A (H1N1) flu, mainly because of its rapid transmission rate. People in remote communities had less chance of catching the virus. As a vaccine against influenza type-A (H1N1) is still under production, the government has set up special teams involving health officials and doctors from medical universities to specifically deal with treatment for patients suffering severe flu symptoms.

Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, a medical expert at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, warned flu patients to avoid taking aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or ibuprofen-group medicines to avoid possible adverse reactions.