BANGKOK, July 18 (TNA) – Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health is asking persons suspected of contracting the much feared swine flu to begin anti-viral medications earlier, it said Saturday.

The ministry has changed its strategy in fighting the influenza A(H1N1) virus pandemic and is now urging persons suspected of having contracted the virus to see a physician within 48 hours to begin taking the anti-viral drug Oseltamivir, a senior ministry official said Saturday.

Dr. Paichit Varachit, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health, said earlier that persons carrying other diseases who contracted the virus would see doctors three days after having a fever.

Now, suspected carriers are asked to see a doctor within 48 hours and take Oseltamivir immediately without waiting for results of laboratory tests.

Responding to reports that Influenza A (H1N1) was recently found at swine farms near Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dr. Paichit said a similar risk in Thailand is slim because experts knew in advance that animals could contract the disease.

He said a working committee of the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has been monitoring the situation closely and found that swine farmers in Thailand are aware that if they contract the fever, they would stop work at the farm immediately. (TNA)

General News : Last Update : 16:04:54 18 July 2009 (GMT+7:00)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=10864

I cannot see that this is a sensible policy - to be giving drugs to people the majority of whom will not need them - This will surely lead to much greater problems in the future .

Ministry will stockpile second-line flu drugs

Writer: APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

Published: 18/07/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: NewsThe Public Health Ministry will build up a stockpile of second-line flu drugs to treat people resistant to the first-line medicine oseltamivir.

The ministry plans to import more zanamivir in preparation for possible resistance to oseltamivir, sold under the trade name Tamiflu, Deputy Minister Manit Nopamornbodee said yesterday.

The ministry was also thinking about manufacturing alternative anti-flu drugs to oseltamivir, he said.

In the World Health Organisation's study on oseltamivir resistance during the 2007-2008 flu season, Thailand was named as one of the countries with a high anti-viral drug resistance rate.

Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, the US, Norway and France also face drug resistance problems.

continued http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2049...-line-flu-drugs

Thailand was named as one of the countries with a high anti-viral drug resistance rate.

Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, the US, Norway and France also face drug resistance problems.

continued http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2049...-line-flu-drugs

Could this be due to the over subscribing by doctors for their own selfish, financial reasons? Or inappropriate self medications?

I tell doctors that I want something to treat the CAUSE of any illness. I am not interested in treating SYMPTOMS. These will disappear on their own accord when the infection is treated.