BINTULU: The prevalence of the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) among children here is worrying Bintulu MP Datuk Sri Tiong King Sing.
And he wants a bigger effort made to keep a lid on the problem which he said has a cyclical trend which peaks every three years among children.
Concerned about the situation, he suggested the Bintulu Divisional Health Office to collaborate with the Information Department here to carry out hygiene education campaigns especially related to HFMD to residents in rural areas.
According to him, he is ready to help by providing a bus or vehicle to make such campaign a success.
“This is because there is demand from residents of longhouses in rural areas who face constraints in getting treatment due to economic factors including logistics.
“I will try to do my best to help provide the best service to the community,” he said at the divisional HFMD townhall session held at Wisma Bintulu Auditorium, today.
Tiong called on the operators of indoor and outdoor playgrounds, childcare centres, kindergartens and nurseries, to work together and ensure cleanliness in an effort to curb the spread of the disease among children.
Earlier, Divisional Health Officer Dr Melvin Chung Hsien Liang hoped that thetownhall session could further increase understanding among parents, teachers and caretakers of kindergartens, nurseries, pre-schools, day care centres and indoor playground operators about HFMD.
An outbreak of HFMD in 1997 saw 2,628 cases with 31 deaths, 29 of these deaths confirmed to be caused by Enterovirus 71 (EV 71) in Sarawak.
“Based on the HFMD surveillance system in Malaysia, there is no particular trend in the states of Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah,” said Tiong.
“However, for Sarawak, the increase in HFMD cases involving EV 71 infection has a cyclical trend with a peak every three years among children,” he said.
Hence, he called on the cooperation of all parties to curb the spread of the disease.
Also present were District Officer Muhammad Dino Amid, District Education Officer Samri Suhaili and Bintulu Hospital Health Education Officer Nor Ezra Hipni.
