Ghani Marali
LIMBANG: The Divisional Health Department is called to continue monitoring hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases, particularly in rural areas and longhouses to prevent them from spreading.
Some concerned members of the public made the call after Limbang recorded an increase of 117 cases as reported by the Health Department Operations Centre yesterday.
According to them, continuous monitoring and awareness programme should be conducted not only in urban areas but also
the interior so that communities there could take the necessary measures to address the epidemic.
Saberkas and Neighbourhood Watch of Kampung Seberang Kedai chairman Ghani Marali said awareness and precautions should be carried out aggressively to prevent the disease from further spreading.
Moreover, he added, up to date information on the disease must be disseminated to local communities here through the print and electronic media.
“Hiding any information on cases of HFMD, especially in Limbang area is only going to make things worse because of the lifestyle of rural people where the standard of personal hygiene isn’t as high,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Ghani added it is the duty of all parties to raise awareness on the preventive measures and not solely the Health Department’s.
He explained that HFMD should not be taken lightly because the disease can be fatal if not addressed quickly, especially among the children.
A businessman Wong Teck Hua, 45, concurred with the call on taking preventive measures, not only among the children but also adults, considering the relentless increase in HFMD cases.
“We need to take our responsibilities seriously, especially in taking precautions in good hygiene practices in our daily chores to prevent the outbreak,” he said.
He added parents should ensure their homes and children’s toys are kept clean and wiped down with disinfectant regularly to prevent infection.
Wong said people should practise hygiene as a matter of habit; the need to wash hands with soap and clean running water before preparing and eating meals and after using the toilet.
For Kasmah Brahim, 33, precautions and close monitoring with appropriate actions should have been undertaken since the disease was first reported.
She said parents should take their children immediately for treatment if fever or symptoms of HFMD are detected.
“Teachers, especially those in preschools, should check the hands and tongues of children before they enter the classrooms and send them home immediately if they display HFMD symptoms,” she said.
It is understood that one of the nurseries here has been temporarily closed since early March due to the disease.