MH370: Health Ministry geared up for any possibilities

The Mental Health Psychosocial Response Team (MHPRT), as well as the medical and forensics are all geared up to face any possibilities of crisis following the MH370 aircraft that went missing, last Saturday.

Health Minister, Datuk Seri S.Subramaniam said the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) via its National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) received information from the National Security Council (MKN) about the plane on the same day it went missing.

"The aircraft carrying a total of 227 passengers including two infants and 12 crew members were reported missing from the Subang Air Traffic Control Centre's radar and we have activated the CPRC's operations room on the same day where it operates from 8.00am to 10.00pm every day to coordinate and monitor the preparedness and response activities by the MOH," he said in a statement to Astro AWANI.

Subramaniam added these teams which are currently stationed at the Everly Hotel in Putrajaya are in stand by mode and ready to be mobilised when needed.

"There are eight MHPRT teams consisting of five officers for each team along with a medical team consisting of two officers on each team who will take turns working over 24 hours a day starting from Saturday," said Subramaniam.

He said their role is to provide medical and psychosocial support services to family members of passengers and crew, 'care givers' who are assigned to care for family members of passengers and crew involved as well as friends and acquaintances of the victims of this incident.

According to Subramaniam, cases that require in-patient treatment will be referred to a government hospital for further examination and treatment.

MOH is also working with Malaysian Airlines (MAS) to provide psychosocial response to family members of passengers and crew as well as 'caregivers' who are placed by Malaysia Airlines in other locations.

Since Saturday, a total of 58 cases have been given outpatient treatment and counselling by the medical team, according to their needs during this crisis.

"Of these, four cases were referred where two of them are emergency cases which were referred to the Emergency Department of Putrajaya Hospital. One was referred for asthma, while the other for chest pain (panic attack) and the remaining two for common fever," he said.

He said a total of 16 cases were given psychosocial interventions designed to help address the emotional problems faced.