As the country is fighting a new outbreak of the
deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu
virus, the Thai government has assured the public that it has stocked
up on enough Tamiflu, an imported
anti-viral drug, to fight the disease in humans.
Deputy Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
said Thailand has about 3 million tablets of Tamiflu in stock, enough
supply for this year.
Tamiflu, made by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche,
cannot cure bird flu, but is so far considered as the primary treatment
against the disease.
''I think we have enough medicine, but anti-viral
drugs are not the solution," he said. "Prevention is the
solution. The most crucial thing is for people to protect themselves
to prevent getting infected.''
He said the public could prevent contracting the
disease by avoiding consumption of sick chickens or touching infected
animals with bare hands.
''At least 80 percent of bird flu patients contracted
the virus by touching or eating infected birds," said the minister.
Mr. Anutin said Thailand has also produced its
own version of anti-viral drug to fight bird flu from GPO-A-Flu,
the main ingredient imported from India.
Ignoring the issue on drug patent, he said the
locally produced drug would be available to the public in November
and it should help the country sustain enough drug stockpile for
next year.
