CONFUSION persisted yesterday over the status of the head of the Disease Control Division (DCD) who reportedly resigned from his post following differences with the Ministry of Health over the use of new media for Influenza A (H1N1) updates without specific guidance or authorisation from the ministry.
The head of the DCD has been updating the public on local developments of the virus through the online social-networking site, Twitter.
When asked about his resignation, the epidemiologist declined to be named and was not able to comment as he holds another post in the government. The Ministry of Health also declined to comment.
David Cheok, a local photographer who has been following the public health physician through Twitter, said that the head of the DCD, on his site, had said that he had resigned from his post. Cheok believes that this was due to the physician's use of new technology to disseminate information without the ministry's approval.
"He is just the right person in the position to calm the public because of his knowledge and because he is on the frontline," Cheok told The Brunei Times yesterday.
He explained that the DCD head's updates provided the public with real-time information and dispelled any rumours regarding H1N1 that were circulating. He pointed out that he followed the physician's updates more so than he did the ministry's, as both parties relayed the same information to the public, but the physician's came out earlier.
He also noted that the ministry's website was not as up to-date as it should be, especially with number of confirmed cases of H1N1 on the rise.
Cheok said that the amount of time it takes to disseminate this information was important, especially since the current generation is more knowledgeable and intelligent.
"They do their own research (and) come to their own conclusions," he explained, adding that it was beneficial for someone like the DCD head to clarify which information was true or not.
"None of us wants to be part of the statistics."
Another follower of the physician's Twitter who wished to be known only as Sally, said that she found his updates to be very useful. She also heeded to the health advice he often gave on his website such as maintaining good personal hygiene and refraining from going to public, crowded areas.
The civil servant remarked that she found the Ministry of Health's updates to be "very erratic and irregular." She said that the ministry needed to provide the public with real-time information since a lot of people have been following the H1N1 developments closely.
"People are really panicking," Sally said. "(They) are losing confidence in the authorities".
She said that resignation of the DCD head was "really uncalled for".
"Now that he is gone, we are hearing news (of H1N1) left, right and centre," she added.
Pg Izam Ryan found the news of the DCD head's resignation to be unfortunate but expressed that the ministry was justified in the matter.
"I think it is sad but true, he did not follow standard procedure," he said. "However, it is probably time for procedure to be more citizen-centric."
"If real-time is what the public is keen on, then give them this real time as it is in the public's interest," he added.
Pg Izam Ryan found the physician's updates to be credible as fellow Twitter users were getting independent confirmations from reliable sources on the DCD head's updates.
A medical officer said that the ministry should utilise the advantages of such online forums as real-time information would help spread correct information.
"If people are kept in the dark, rumours will start (and spark) fear," the officer said.
Minister of Health Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman said that the ministry sees the benefit of using new media for the rapid dissemination of information.
The Brunei Times
Friday, June 26, 2009
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