KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — The Health Ministry (MOH) is topping up medical equipment at healthcare facilities nationwide ahead of a potential rise in haze-related illnesses, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said the extra supplies comprised 841 adult aerochambers, 396 paediatric aerochambers and 576 nebulisers in case of a surge in respiratory illnesses.
He said the ministry had activated the National Haze Operations Room on September 4 and is monitoring three main health conditions — upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), asthma and conjunctivitis, through 78 sentinel 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 (Harapan-Rasah).
Cha had asked about how the ministry is mitigating the impact of haze on public health, as well as 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.
He added that MOH has been providing technical advice to the Education Ministry and the Higher Education Ministry on suspending outdoor activities when API readings exceed 100, as well as recommending school closure when readings exceed 200.
He said the MOH also works closely with the Environment Department, Meteorological Department, and National Disaster Management Agency to ensure early warnings and preventive measures are communicated effectively to the public.
