AS of late the World Health Organisation (WHO) has come under attack by several countries saying they created a fake pandemic so cash strap pharmaceutical companies could profit.
The accusations came about after reports suggested that the influenza A H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, proved to be more like the common flu virus rather than a deadly disease.
In response to the allegations however, WHO issued a statement saying they acted in the interest of humanity when they declared H1N1 a pandemic and was by no means ’improperly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry’.
Local Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) representative, Dr Yitades Gebre, said the world was going through a real pandemic and that the allegations were scientifically wrong and historically incorrect.
’As an international institution involved in an unprecedented public health event, WHO understands criticism is inevitable, and when constructive, is very welcome,’ he said. Gebre, an adviser in family health and disease management, insisted that their aim has, and always would be, to provide independent advice to Member States.
’WHO took decisive actions in accordance with the International Health Regulations but did not announce the start of a pandemic until 11 June 2009 when the updated pandemic criteria were met.
This current influenza pandemic is a scientifically well-documented event in which the emergence and spread of a new influenza virus has caused an unusual epidemiological pattern of disease throughout the world. The labelling of the pandemic as ’fake’ is to ignore recent history and science and to trivialise the deaths of over 14,000 people and the many additional serious illnesses experienced by others,’ he said.
Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, Dr Anton Cumberbatch said he agreed with WHO and saw no merit for other countries to criticise the global health.
After all, lab analyses showed that this influenza virus was genetically and antigenically very different from other influenza viruses circulating among people and epidemiological information provided by Mexico, the United States and Canada demonstrated person-to-person transmission, while clinical information, from Mexico, indicated that the virus could cause severe disease and death, he said.
’There is a pandemic and it is real, and there is no reason for anyone to put their guard down’, he said.
After H1N1 was declared a pandemic, this country ordered more than130,000 doses of Tamiflu and 260,000 doses of the vaccine. So far, less than 50,000 people have been vaccinated against the virus and the ministry was unable to say how much doses of Tamiflu were still in stock,
When the Express asked Cumberbatch what was being done with the remaining Tamiflu doses, he said although the H1N1 was not as predominant, they had originally ordered the antiviral for H5N1.
Avian influenza, otherwise known as H5N1, has taken flight in Southeast Asia, and according to Cumberbatch, the ministry was keeping up surveillance because this could be a next pandemic.
He said while the world has concentrated on countering the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, avian influenza, or H5N1, has quietly continued to take a toll on both poultry and human populations.
Last year, reports indicated that 17 countries had outbreaks of H5N1 in domestic poultry and wild birds.
WHO also issued a statement saying that H5N1 poses a pandemic threat because out of those reported 72 human cases, 32 of them were fatal.
’Our observation of the pandemic is that swine flu is down internationally, but that is not to say that there cannot be another wave so therefore we are going to be alert and advise the national community to remain alert and we strongly recommend people get vaccinated, particularly those who are in ’at risk’ groups,’ he said.
-Aabida Allaham
No comments:
Post a Comment