Tomorrow is Today.....

SARS:Did it expose another malaise?

How many of you actually heard about SARS in November 2002?December 2002?January 2003?Did you all know that the outbreak actually began in China in November of last year? Of course the Chinese swept everything under the carpet, fatally wrong in assuming that the world won’t find out and that the epidemic will just taper off. Little would they have expected that in a few months later it would turn into a public relations and health catastrophe with terrible consequences. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) a few weeks back branded this new viral outbreak as the worst epidemic in recent history-since AIDS first surfaced in the 1980’s.

It has reached epidemic proportions so rapidly because of its highly contagious nature. A simple sneeze in an enclosed area is sufficient for the host to unknowingly infect those around him. In fact the symptoms are so common (flu, headache, nausea etc…) that some people just don’t bother going for treatment. Even Canada (Toronto) which is hundreds of kilometers away, was classified as SARS infected by the WHO. So now we have the whole world reacting to this new virus and working furiously to find a cure. Even Malaysia was not spared.

We, Malaysians, are a fortunate lot. The SARS epidemic didn’t reach our shores till March. Or so we are told. Sadly, we also ‘caught’ another malaise from China. If we remember well, there was a major inter-ministerial cover-up as to the extent of the outbreak in Malaysia until a brave and responsible act by the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi. He issued a warning to all related parties to be truthful and to handle this issue transparently. There was an immediate reaction-number of reported cases increased rapidly and until now there has been 2 deaths. Or has there been more?

You see, the initial act of covering up the true story has only done one significant thing. It has established a doubt in the people’s minds about the credibility of the government. How are we, common citizens, supposed to be able to trust anything that the government says? Even in such a fundamental issue such as health, we were misled just so that the economy won’t have to suffer further. Had they thought of what will happen to the economy if everyone falls ill?!!(worst case scenario of course ) Thankfully someone high up had the courage to tackle the real situation. But if there wasn’t?? What would have happened? Only God knows.

In this present uncertain state, God has been the only constant. My prayer goes out to all that have been suspected, quarantined, isolated etc… of SARS. Even to the tireless doctors and medical staff all over the country. May His will be done.

posted by Desmond S.D. @ 3:13 PM