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Two feared buried alive in landslide at Gunung Jerai

ALOR STAR: Two people are feared to have been buried alive in a landslide at the foot of Gunung Jerai in Gurun today.

The Kedah Fire and Rescue Department director, senior assistant commissioner Sayani Saidon, said the department received an emergency call at 6.28pm and dispatched rescue personnel to the scene two minutes later.

“Based on early information received, two people might have been buried about 40 feet (12 metres) deep.

“The victims are believed to have been doing digging work in the area,” he said in a statement here.

He said the landslide happened at a housing project site.

“Efforts to search for the victims are being conducted by personnel from the Guar Chempedak Fire and Rescue station,” he added. – Bernama

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March 22, 2020
Govt won’t compromise on workers’ welfare during MCO: Saravanan

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will never compromise on the welfare of workers, especially during the two-week period of the Movement Control Order (MCO).

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan (pix) said the government needed the cooperation of all parties, including employers and employees, to come up with a positive solution.

“We need to curb the Covid-19 pandemic and our unity in this matter is extremely crucial to achieving the success we seek,” he said in a statement today.

The MCO, effective nationwide from March 18 to March 31, was declared by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on March 16 aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, Saravanan said that until today there were still reports of factories operating during the MCO and forcing their employees to take annual leave and unpaid leave.

“Such irresponsible action will surely thwart the government’s efforts to tackle and break the Covid-19 chain,” he said.

Commenting further, he said the two-week MCO is one of the most challenging periods faced by all Malaysians in the fight to curb the spread of the virus.

“This move will surely have a huge impact on local workers and businesses. However, it is everyone’s responsibility to adhere to the MCO,” he said. – Bernama

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March 22, 2020
10 million masks to be brought in from China: Fadillah

PUTRAJAYA: A total of 10 million masks will be brought in from China in stages to make up for their shortage here as the country grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said that an agreement has basically been reached with the Chinese government and efforts to bring in the supply are being managed by the Transport Ministry in cooperation with airlines.

“We are finalising it under the Transport Ministry … will begin soonest possible … deal has been confirmed, the first phase, amount and so on,” he told a press conference after chairing the Special Ministerial Committee meeting on the Movement Control Order, here today. – Bernama

More to Follow

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March 22, 2020
Efforts to stop prisoners reoffending can be useless or even backfire

Efforts to prevent prisoners from reoffending are often lacking in scientific rigour and can even fly in the face of available evidence

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March 22, 2020
Adequate blood supply in the country: National Blood Centre

KUALA LUMPUR: The supply of blood in the country is still sufficient at a safe level so far, said National Blood Centre (PDN) director Dr Noryati Abu Amin.

However, she said PDN and other blood centres are still in need of blood donors to continue replenishing blood stock at an optimum level all the time.

According to her, blood donation is still available during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period as the activity is considered an essential service under the Health Ministry for the treatment of patients.

While it cannot be denied that blood donation throughout the country would be affected following Covid-19 and the enforcement of MCO, Dr Noryati said various efforts including stepping up promotions via social media as well as extending the operation hours at collection centres have been carried out.

“So far, the supply of all types of blood is sufficient, however many blood donation campaigns were cancelled over fears that the people maybe infected with Covid-19 which also caused a drop in the number of donors,” she told Bernama.

Dr Noryati added that several additional measures were taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19 when individuals came to donate blood, among them was limiting the number of donors at a location at any one time.

“Apart from that, measures such as social distancing and practice of good hygiene especially washing hands with soap and water as well as providing initial screening such as checking body temperature and inquiring the travel history of the donor, she said.

In this regard, she urged the people to continue donating blood regularly to ensure the supply of blood is always at a safe level.

“Having an adequate supply of blood at all time is very important to treat patients such as emergency victims, expecting mothers who may experience bleeding complications during delivery, cancer and thalassemia patients as well as patients undergoing major surgeries,” she said.

Members of the public can donate blood at three locations in the Klang Valley namely PDN in Jalan Tun Razak on Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 8pm and on Saturday and Sunday, from 8am to 6pm.

Besides that, the PDN Donation Suite in Midvalley Megamall starts daily from 10am to 5pm while the Puspanita Blood Donation Suite in Putrajaya operates from Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 7pm and on weekends from 9am to 6pm.

Meanwhile, the blood supply at the Blood Centre of Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital Seremban (HTJS) is also sufficient, said Negri Sembilan Health acting director Dr Mohammad Faid Abd Rashid.

Speaking to Bernama, he said the centre has enough blood for patients,

“During the MOC period, the centre is still operating on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 3pm and on Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4.30 pm.

“The supply of blood however depends on healthy and non-risky donors who have to adhere to the regulations of the hospital,” he said.

Dr Mohammad Faid said those who display Covid-19 symptoms or have just returned from abroad or have close contact with suspected Covid-19 cases would not be allowed to donate blood. — Bernama

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March 21, 2020
EXCLUSIVE: SARS Operatives Unlawfully Arrest Four Men At Night Club In Port Harcourt, Refuse To Disclose Whereabouts To Relatives Two Months After

The petition

Four young men in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, remain missing two months after being unlawfully arrested by personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

The four were arrested at Boss Lounge, a popular nightclub along Woji Road in GRA, Port Harcourt, on Sunday, January 5, 2020 around 8:00pm and their whereabouts have remained unknown since that period.

Efforts by their family members to locate the four persons have been rebuffed by the police, who deny having a hand in their ordeal.

Narrating the incident to SaharaReporters, Mr Ezekiel Tariuwa, elder brother of one of the missing young men, Kingsley, said a Mobile Police officer in charge of security at the lounge, gave access to the SARS officials into the facility to effect the arrest of Kingsley and the three others.

According to Tariuwa, the police in Rivers have denied ordering the arrest and claimed not to be aware of the incident and whereabouts of the young men.

He said, “My brother, Kingsley Tariuwa, was arrested alongside three others at the Boss Lounge, on Sunday, January 5, 2020, at around 8:00pm by SARS.

“The SARS officers were actually cleared by a Mobile Policeman named Elisha Hassan, who is in charge of security at the facility.

“Someone at the lounge, who recognised my brother, had to call someone that alerted one of my siblings to the fact that Kingsley had been arrested.

“We tried calling his phone number from around 9:00pm, it was ringing but there was no response until around 11:30pm when someone picked up the call but all I could hear were voices of police officers ordering them to write statements.

“The line soon dropped and up until this moment, the number had remained switched off.”

Speaking further, Tariuwa disclosed that he had been to the SARS headquarters in Port Harcourt several times to search for his brother but the officers deny carrying out any arrest the previous night each time he went there.

He stated, “I met one officer named Supol Amanze Onyegbula, who sent a junior officer to check their cells if the persons I was looking for were there.

“The officer came back and said they were not in their custody.

“He then advised me to go to radio room at the state police headquarters so that they could help me do a radio search for my brother instead of walking from one station to another.

“I went there, the lady on duty radioed all the stations around but none of them confirmed to have them in custody. I was there for more than two hours and it was still negative.

“The lady at the radio room advised me to go and confirm once again from the policeman at Boss Lounge about which people actually made the arrest.”

Tariuwa further revealed that in the course of his findings, the identity of the SARS official, who led the operation was revealed, adding that the man indirectly confessed to killing the four persons.

He said, “The Mobile Police officer at Boss Lounge told me that it was men from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad that made the arrest and that one of the SARS officers gave him his number.

“He then called the number of the SARS officer, put it on loudspeaker so that I could hear what the man would say while I was standing next to him.

“When the SARS officer picked the call, he then told him that he was the Mobile Policeman at the night club where they arrested four young men the previous night and that their relatives were there with him.

“The SARS officer then said in pidgin that, ‘Forget them! Them don come our office today, commander tell them say no be we arrest the boys. In fact we don travel those boys, we don clear them, no where he reach, nothing go happen’.”

Tariuwa disclosed that after running a check on mobile application, Truecaller, with the SARS officer’s number, the name was revealed as Francis Nwankwo.

He said that a petition had been sent to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, who directed the DCP, CIID, to oversee the matter.

He added that during the course of investigation, all parties concerned were invited for interrogation and while they honoured the invitation, the SARS officer refused to visit the state CIID.

Tariuwa also revealed that the Mobile Police officer at Boss Lounge was detained by the command.

According to the aggrieved man, Nwankwo, the SARS officer, denied arresting anyone at Boss Lounge when he was called by the investigating officer at the state CIID.

Irked by the slow pace of investigation by the Rivers State Police and ludicrous cooperation of the SARS, Tariuwa lodged another complaint at the Police Complaint Response Unit, which he said triggered some results.

He said, “After I petitioned the Police CRU in Abuja, two days later, the SARS officers showed up at the state CIID, gave their statements but did not show up with my brother and others arrested.

“The day that the DCP gave us to update us on their final investigation was the day that the OC, General Investigations, told us that the case had been transferred to Abuja.

The petition

“The result of their investigations has not been relayed to us, no words on the whereabouts of my brother.

“The only thing the OC, General Investigation, said was that SARS had agreed that they arrested my brother but they have not told us his current state or the other three men.”

Apart from family members of Kingsley Tariuwa, relatives of the three other young men unlawfully seized and arbitrarily detained by Rivers State SARS officials are demanding justice.

Over recent months, SARS officials have been behind many unlawful arrests, detentions and even killings across Nigeria. For instance, on February 22, 2020, SARS officials arrested a player of Remo Stars Football Club in Sagamu, Ogun State, named Tiyamu Kazeem after accusing him of being an Internet fraudster. While taking him away in their van, the policemen pushed him from the vehicle on motion and on to an oncoming car which crushed and killed him instantly. The incident led to violent protests all across Sagamu, forcing authorities to ban the activities of SARS in the area.

In April 2019, personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad shot dead a young man named Kolade Johnson in the Mangoro area of Lagos while he was watching an English Premier League match. The policemen claimed to be chasing cult gangs when the bullet from their gun hit and killed the young man. The list is indeed endless.

Though police authorities announced a handful of measures put in place to check the excesses of SARS operatives, nothing significant has changed about the unit as they continue to torment innocent Nigerians.

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March 21, 2020
4 Hot Ways To Market Yourself in 2014

As you sit down to plan your 2014 marketing calendar, you may be wondering where you should be focusing your marketing efforts to get the biggest bang for your buck. Well, let me share with you the (currently) 4 HOT ?parties? you most definitely want to dress up in your sexiest little number and be seen at…

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March 20, 2020
Dracunculiasis eradication: intensifying surveillance amid continued zero human cases in Ethiopia and Mali

A total of 54 human cases of dracunculiasis (guinea-worm disease) were reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019, with Chad reporting 48 out of the 54 cases.

In Chad, Ethiopia, Mali and South Sudan, trained volunteers are supporting surveillance and detection of infections in domestic dogs and cats. Surveillance has been heightened, as evidenced by the increase in reports of rumoured human cases which in 2019 peaked at 108 207 out of which 106 678 were investigated within 24 hours.

“We are working with the broader scientific community to understand the epidemiology of animal infections, mainly in dogs in Chad, where the highest number of human cases were reported in 2019,” said Dr Dieudonné Sankara, who leads WHO’s eradication and elimination team in the Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “Interestingly, there have been no human cases in Ethiopia and Mali, and 4 human cases in South Sudan in 2019, compared with 10 in 2018.”

In Mali, the number of animals infected with Dracunculus medinensis (the guinea-worm) has decreased from 20 animals in 2018 to 8 dogs and 1 cat in 2019. However, insecurity remains a challenge to freely accessing some endemic areas in Mali.

Conversely, Chad reported 1935 infections in dogs and 46 in cats in 2019, an increase of 85% from 2018, and a 176% increase among humans.

Angola reported only 1 human case in 2019. Community-based surveillance is being reinforced mainly in Cunene Province where a case was reported in 2018.

In South Sudan, integrated surveillance activities have been carried out with the trachoma and onchocerciasis control programmes, in accordance with WHO’s recommendation that programmes collaborate, integrate and co-implement activities, whenever possible, to strengthen surveillance.

In order to strengthen cross-border surveillance, WHO led a mission to Cameroon in November 2019 to investigate circumstances around an “imported” case in the country’s Far North Region. Discussions were held with the health authorities to establish active surveillance in all villages in the area, including training for application of temephos.[1]

Also, in 2019, and with the support of trained field workers, vector control was intensified to larvicide ponds and water sources in more than 400 villages, compared with 72 villages in 2018.

In late 2019, WHO supported cross-border meetings with officials of national dracunculiasis eradication programmes from Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa; between Ethiopia and South Sudan in East Africa, and between Angola and Namibia in Southern Africa, to share experiences and plan joint surveillance activities across the borders to prevent transmission of the disease.

The disease

Dracunculiasis is a crippling parasitic disease caused by infection with D. medinensis, a long, thread-like worm. It is usually transmitted when people drink stagnant water contaminated with parasite-infected water fleas.

WHO works with Member States and in partnership with The Carter Center and the United Nations Children’s Fund to support efforts to eradicate the disease. WHO provides technical guidance, works with national programmes to coordinate surveillance in dracunculiasis-free areas, and monitors and reports on the progress achieved.

WHO is the only Organization mandated to certify countries as free of transmission of the disease following the recommendations of the International Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication.

Since 1995, WHO has certified a total of 199 countries, territories and areas, including 187 Member States, as free of dracunculiasis transmission.

[1] Temephos is a cyclopicide used to kill water fleas (cyclops) that carry the infective guinea-worm larvae.

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March 20, 2020
WHO teams with partners to mitigate the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in malaria-affected areas
The rapid spread of COVID-19 is testing the resilience of robust health systems around the world. WHO and its partners are taking measures to mitigate the potential impact of sustained transmission of the coronavirus in malaria-endemic settings –
particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which shoulders more than 90% of the global malaria burden.

To date, a small proportion of the global COVID-19 cases have been identified in malaria-affected countries. However, as of 17 March, 25 countries in the African Region had reported cases of COVID-19, and local transmission of the disease had been detected
in 6 countries (Algeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa).

“At this point, we still don’t know what the COVID-19 pandemic will look like in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. “But we do know that when public health emergencies have
hit parts of Africa with weak health systems and high malaria transmission, the impact on malaria disease and death has been very severe.”

The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, for example, undermined malaria control efforts and led to a massive increase in malaria-related illness and death in the 3 countries.

Joint action

To support malaria-affected countries, WHO has identified the need for a set of inter-related actions among global partners:
- generating, using and disseminating accurate information;
- mitigating against health system disruptions; and
- ensuring the continuity of routine malaria-specific interventions while also providing, where needed, additional emergency measures, such as mass drug administration, in health systems significantly impacted by COVID-19.
The Organization convened partners on 17 March to discuss areas of collaboration, coordination and next steps.

WHO has begun monitoring the evolving geographic location of COVID-19 cases to understand the extent to which the coronavirus and malaria affect the same target groups. This information will reveal who is likely to be at greatest risk, where and when,
and thus inform the need for malaria-specific interventions to save lives.

In parallel, WHO is working across the 3 levels of the organization to ensure that any advice intended to curb coronavirus transmission and to guide COVID-19 disease management is appropriate in malaria-affected settings.

In recent days, there have been reports of disruptions, as a result of COVID-19, in the production and global supply chains of essential malaria commodities, such as the long-lasting insecticidal nets, diagnostic testing and antimalarial medicines. Coordinated
efforts are required to ensure the availability of key malaria control tools – particularly in countries with a high burden of the disease – and that efforts to limit transmission of COVID-19 do not compromise access to malaria prevention,
diagnosis and treatment services.

Malaria-affected countries may also experience disruptions in health systems in the coming months. A marked increase in febrile patients seeking treatment for COVID-19 at health facilities, for example, would present a significant challenge for a health
workforce that may itself be depleted by the disease.

Policy guidance

WHO is developing guidance for national malaria control programmes and implementing partners to prepare them for the challenges they may face as result of COVID-19.  Among other areas, the guidance will address the mitigation of stockouts of
malaria medicines and commodities; the use of preventive malaria therapy for health workers; the deployment of emergency measures in some settings; and the generation of information relating to the geographic distribution and populations affected
by COVID-19 in malaria-endemic settings.

Restrictions around grouping people together – for training, social and behavior change communication activities, fixed-site distribution and clinical care – as well as the restrictions around movement of people in the country, will require
significant adaptations in order to deliver quality interventions and care.

All people living in malaria-affected areas are advised to follow same precautions as the general population, including: frequent hand-washing, respiratory hygiene, social distancing, seeking prompt medical care if symptoms arise (cough, fever,
difficulty breathing), and other WHO-recommended actions.

WHO stands ready to work with countries and other stakeholders to mitigate the negative impact of the coronavirus on malaria responses worldwide and, where possible, contribute towards a successful COVID-19 response.

About COVID-19

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Essential information on the COVID-19 pandemic can be found in
a dedicated WHO site.

About malaria

Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. In 2018, there were an estimated 228 million cases of malaria worldwide and
405 000 malaria-related deaths. For more on malaria, visit: www.who.int/malaria

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March 19, 2020
“I stay at work for you , you stay at home for us”

KUALA LUMPUR: A doctor has put Facebook to good use by sharing a quote to remind Malaysians to stay at home during the two-week movement control order period.

Dr Gee Teak Sheng, a consultant neurosurgeon from Pantai Hospital, Penang today shared a photo of him holding a paper with ‘I Stay At Work for You, You Stay at Home for Us’ written on it, and also added the hashtags #StayHome and #DudukRumah.

The post is a reminder to Malaysians that staying home not only curbs the spread of Covid-19 but lightens the burden of many medical experts during this crucial time.

The restriction orders all government and private premises be closed, except for those providing essential services.

It also highlights the sacrifices of those who deliver these services, in order to fight the virus and serve the country.

Gee’s post garnered 44,000 shares on Facebook and is also making waves on other social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram.

People filled the post with encouragement and appreciation comments.

Tay Liang Hua, a Facebook user from Muar commented “Thank you Doctor Gee and your team of staff for the dedication. Appreciate your efforts to educate the public at this critical time.”

While on Twitter, @adaazam reposted the photo with the caption, “Please, please stay at home. Please support doctors and nurses. Please support this movement.”

Other than health and pharmacy, telecommunications, postal, transport, broadcasting, finance, and banking are among the services which will be available during the order that took effect today until the end of the month. – Bernama

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March 18, 2020