Seasonal flu infection rate at normal average: MoH – Defense Ministry intends to cut overseas treatment cases

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KUWAIT CITY, Nov 13, (Agencies): Health Ministry said that the rate of seasonal influenza infections among people in Kuwait is at the normal average. In a statement to KUNA Thursday, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Dr Majda Al- Qattan said that the rate of seasonal influenza in the society ranges from 10 to 20 per 100,000 people.

The infections this year are estimated at 13 cases in each 100,000 people, she said. She noted that the rate in the United States ranges from 35 to 50 cases per 100,000 people and recorded 42 cases this year. The rate among the Kuwaiti students reached 12.8 per 100,000, she said, stressing that the cases reported at schools are in the normal average.

The number of cases reported at school could not be considered epidemic spiral, she pointed out, affirming that all detected cases are treated and followed up by the concerned bodies. Al-Qattan advised parents of students infected with influenza viruses to visit doctors and follow their instructions. She reiterated that the ministry’s commitment to transparency with all segments in the Kuwaiti society.

Seasonal influenza is characterized by a sudden onset of high fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe malaise (feeling unwell), sore throat and runny nose. There are three types of seasonal influenza viruses: A, B and C. Type A influenza viruses are further classified into subtypes according to the combinations of various virus surface proteins. Among many subtypes of influenza A viruses, influenza A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) subtypes are currently circulating among humans, according to the website of World Health Organization.

Keenness
Meanwhile, Director of Overseas Medical Treatment Department at Ministry of Defense Brigadier Emad Aman says the ministry intends to reduce the number of cases sent overseas for medical treatments, affirming the keenness of the department to improve its services, reports Al-Rai daily. He indicated that the integrated online trading system will be activated soon, and that an office will be launched within the department for handling visas, after a similar office was launched in Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC). Aman explained that the ministry is always keen to improve the technical level of the military hospital by updating the medical equipment and systems, and improving the skills of the medical staff.

It invites doctors from Europe and the United States of America to visit Kuwait in order to learn from their skills and experiences. He denied rumors concerning sending relatives of some ministry personnel overseas for treatment, affirming that the department follows the legal procedures in this regard based on the allotted rules and regulations. Health sources also disclosed that a team from the State Audit Bureau will review accounts and records of the ministry for fiscal year 2015/2016, as per laws governing the sector, reports Al-Anba daily.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary of Ministry of Health Dr Khalid Al- Sahlawi revealed that the ministry is working on applying the electronic pharmacy system in all medical facilities following the success of its experiment at Mubarak and Amiri hospitals, adding the implementation of this system has started in Adan Hospital, reports Al-Rai daily.

Preparing
He explained that the ministry is preparing to launch the tender for the project. It formed a committee to evaluate the performance of the system and to verify whether it is possible to apply the new system in other hospitals. After studying the results of the experiment, the committee recommended applying the system in other medical facilities. Dr Al-Sahlawi said the advantages of the system are reductions in congestion, human errors, problems relating to similarity in the names of some medicines, and the waiting time for patients to obtain their medical prescriptions.

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