Dr. Beat Richner, Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospitals
Phnom Penh / Siem Reap Angkor, 8.7.2012
Urgent message
Since the end of April 2012 in the Kantha Bopha Children’s
Hospitals 66 children
were admitted with just same symptoms and clinical findings. The
children, most
between 2 and 3 years old, suffered from Encephalitis. They
develop in the last
hours of their life a total destruction of the alveolas in the
lungs. Up to now 64 have
died. Only two have survived. The last week from 2
nd to 7th
July there were only two
cases.
On 20
th
June, after having discussed this in Cambodia
new picture of disease since
early May with the Ministry of Health, and after having got no
positive results by
Institut Pasteur, which whom we cooperate since beginning of the
discovery of this
for Cambodia new phenomena in our 5 Hospitals, we wrote a letter
to the Minister
of Health suggesting as causing reason a Enterovirus, or an
intoxication by a
medication outside of our Hospitals, or both. All the 64 cases who
have died were
treated outside by private clinics before they were brought to the
Kantha Bopha
Hospitals.
Yesterday the Institut Pasteur could confirm, that in the majority
of the above
described cases the Enterovirus Type 71 was found. Still we have
now to see what
really is causing the deadly pulmonary complication and see if a
toxic factor is
playing a role too. Why only a very few children infected by
Enterovirus 71 are
doing this awful destruction of the lungs?
Unfortunately WHO has given a declaration on July 2
nd to Reuters without being
clear on the facts being presented on 29
th June
in the Ministry of Health by Kantha
Bopha to all the officials of Health. WHO was telling whole the
world: New mystery
killer disease in Cambodia! This was causing unnecessary panic in
Cambodia.
On the level of public health it is not an alarming issue: The 5
Kantha Bopha
Hospitals are covering 85% of all Cambodian sick children. In case
of the Dengue
Fever Kantha Bopha is covering 92%. In June 75 799 sick children
were treated in
our outpatient stations. 16 517 severely sick children had to be
hospitalized, among
them 5534 severe cases of the Hemorrhagic Dengue Fever. In June
only 34 cases
with this above described “ new” disease were hospitalized. This
declaration by
WHO, which is not at all involved in this matter, to Reuters on
July 2
nd
was neither
professional nor necessary, but causing panic for nothing.
Dr. Beat Richner, Founder and Head of the Kantha Bopha Children’s
Hospitals in
Cambodia.
http://www.beat-richner.ch/pdf/2012/EnterovirusType71_8July.pdf
