Bali receives fresh supply of Tamiflu

The Bali Health Agency received an additional 4,000 doses of Tamiflu in anticipation of any possible cases of the H1N1 influenza, a senior official has said.
“The supply comes from the Ministry of Health,” agency head Nyoman Sutedja said Sunday, adding that it was the second additional supply the island has received.
“The first additional supply comprised of 300 doses of Tamiflu.”
The first extra batch arrived in Bali in the days following the initial outbreak of H1N1 flu in Mexico.
“Even before the arrival of the second supply we had already prepared to deal with H1N1 flu,” he stressed.
The 4,000 dosages of Tamiflu, Sutedja said, will be soon distributed to state-run hospitals and community health centers (Puskesmas) across the island. Bali has one state-run central hospital, nine regional hospitals and a total of 112 Puskesmas. 
“The distribution will commence early this week and be carried out by the respective regional health agencies,” he said.
Private clinics and hospitals are advised to acquire Tamiflu from a state-run hospital the moment they encounter any suspected cases of H1N1 influenza.
In conjunction with the distribution of the Tamiflu, the health authority will begin recalling old stocks of Tamiflu that have reached their expiration dates.
“We estimate there are around 2,000 doses of Tamiflu that have reached their expiration dates,” Sutedja said.
The stocks were part of a huge supply of Tamiflu distributed on the island in 2007 to cope with ongoing cases of bird flu.
“The supply arrived in August 2007 following the first reported case of bird flu in a human,” Sutedja said.
In order to prevent any possible confusion or mix-up, the health agency will complete the recall of expired Tamiflu before distributing the fresh supply.
“We don’t want the fresh supply to be mixed up with the expired ones,” Sutedja stressed.
So far the resort island has yet to record a confirmed case of H1N1. 
Last week, a woman from Holland was taken to Sanglah General Hospital upon her arrival at the Ngurah Rai International Airport after she displayed symptoms of an influenza like illness (ILI) during her flight. Blood tests cleared her of H1N1.  
Sanglah Hospital, the largest medical facility in Bali, has repeatedly stated its readiness to deal with any cases of the H1N1 flu.
The hospital has set up a special team to deal with H1N1 and has established a specially equipped ward to treat H1N1 patients.
“We are ready to deal with H1N1 anytime it occurs,” the head of hospital’s flu mitigation team, Ken Wirasandhi, said.