MMA: Listen to experts like Adeeba, not “toady” Hizwan

THE Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) backed an expert’s assertion that large-scale public sanitisation process does not help mitigate COVID-19 spread as the latter is an airborne disease.

“It’s also pointless as these disinfected areas will quickly get contaminated again. The practise of physical distancing, wearing masks and hand sanitising are far more effective,” its president Prof Datuk Dr M Subramaniam Muniandy said, in a statement.

Last week, infectious disease expert Prof Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said that mass sanitisation effort to contain COVID-19 was a waste of resources as the disease was airborne.

She made the call after Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin announced that her ministry would conduct mass sanitisation programmes at 284 locations nationwide.

Prof Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman

“Large-scale nationwide sanitisation exercise begins today. There goes resources that could be better channelled elsewhere.

“Here are a few just of the top off my head. 1. PPE 2. High flow nasal cannulas 3. Ventilators 4. O2 sat meters 5. Food for volunteers,” Adeeba tweeted.

However, Zuraida’s political secretary Nor Hizwan Ahmad shot back at Adeeba, who is also the World Health Organisation (WHO) Science Council for questioning the ministry’s public sanitisation initiative.

“Public sanitation has become one of the new norms to ensure the community is always safe, clean and healthy,” he was reported saying two days ago.

Defending Adeeba, Subramaniam said that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) itself had remarked that “spraying cleaning products or disinfectants in outdoor areas – such as on sidewalks, roads or groundcover- is not necessary, effective or recommended.”

“And Hizwan is no expert on infectious diseases. The political secretary to Zuraida should give the right advice to his boss instead of apple polishing.

“It’s clear from his comments that the minister’s aide didn’t do his homework and hasn’t a clue on the effective management of COVID-19,” he retorted.

Subramanian stated that the WHO had alerted countries on the hazards of public disinfections due to the chemicals used, such as formaldehyde, a chlorine-based agent and quaternary ammonium due to their adverse health effects.

“It’s time to listen to experts like Adeeba. The WHO highly appreciates her contributions. Shouldn’t her home country do the same?” Subramaniam asked. – June 6, 2021.

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