Stramash Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 from Thaivisa; Pandemic A(H1N1) active inside Bang Kwang Central Prison By John Le Fevre BANGKOK: -- A British national in Thailand?s infamous Bang Kwang Central Prison has written to the charity Prisoners Abroad asking if it or the British Embassy in Bangkok has plans to pay for the flu treatment drug Tamiflu (also sold under the generic name oseltamivir), for jailed Brits in Thailand. According to the prisoner, who requested his name not be divulged, as of July 13 two prisoners and one prison guard had died from the pandemic A(H1N1) virus, originally termed swine flu, with at least one other guard at that time ?seriously ill? in hospital. The author says he believes the Thai Department of Corrections has issued instructions that face masks are to be worn by all staff and prisoners, ?though non-Thai prisoners have to pay Bt100 (about $US3) for each mask?. The author said he was ?aware that all medication for foreign prisoners must be sourced and paid for by their respective embassies? and he ?wondered if the British Embassy in Thailand has a contigency plan in place??. The email goes on to say, ?the conditions inside Thai prisons are very harsh and the health of a lot of the prisoners incarcerated is not good, with many also suffering with tuberculosis?. The prisoner says he suspects that prison hospitals ?are not equipped to handle the influx that this epidemic could cause? and pleaded for help in securing the anti-flu drug on behalf of all British passport holders currently incarcerated in Thailand. Over the weekend the Public Health Ministry announced that people with pandemic A(H1N1) symptoms will be able to obtain the locally produced oseltamivir free of charge at state and private clinics as of today, while disclosing the cost of manufacturing the drug was Bt25 (about $US0.73) each. The Government has not made any public announcement whether the free treatment will be extended to foreigners who fall ill in Thailand from pandemic A(H1N1), or whether the anti-viral drug will be supplied to prisoners in its jails. Thailand is reported to currently have enough oseltamivir to treat 10 percent of the population, with a further 60 million tablets being produced. As of last Wednesday Thailand had recorded 65 deaths due to pandemic A(H1N1) and 8,877 infections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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GoodKarma Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 for all you germafobes out there some very helpful webpages Control of Pandemic Flu Virus on Environmental Surfaces in Homes and Public Places. Antimicrobial Products Registered for Use Against the H1N1 Flu and Other Influenza A Viruses on Hard Surfaces. Plague in China? Plague kills 3rd man in sealed - off Chinese town. yahoo news AP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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