Health ministry to distribute hand gel, face masks to Muslim pilgrims

SONGKHLA, Aug 16 (TNA) – Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health will distribute hand gel and face masks to Thai Muslims to protect themselves from seasonal flu and the Influenza Type A (H1N1) during their pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in western Saudi Arabia at the end of this year.

There have been so far at least 13,000 Muslims who inform their intention to take part in the Hajj, according to Minister of Public Health Witthaya Kaewparadai, who opened a training programme at a hotel in Songkhla for 200 health volunteers who will work with medical staff to advise Muslim pilgrims before making the Hajj.

The influx of many people in a relatively small space for two to six weeks can raise the risk of falling ill, particularly with respiratory diseases including seasonal flu and the new flu which is now spreading continuously, the public health minister explained.

All Thai pilgrims will be vaccinated against seasonal flu free of charge before travelling and 50,000 face masks, 100,000 tubes of hand gel, and handbooks on H1N1 will be handed out to pilgrims, said Mr. Witthaya.

They will be advised to carry more cloth face masks to be adequate for their several-week trip. Local health offices will monitor their health for 15 days after they return home at the beginning of next year.

Meanwhile, Dr Paijit Varachit, deputy permanent secretary for public health, said the ministry will dispatch two medical teams to Mecca to attend to the medical needs of Thai pilgrims. At least 5,000 doses of the anti-viral Oseltamivir will be sent with the medical staff and more drugs will be sent later if the first batch is not enough, he said. (TNA)