Cleanliness is something that cannot be compromised at restaurants, food courts and other eateries. It is not something just for campaign slogans or publicity but must be seen to be practised. Everyone knows the importance of cleanliness. However, the fact remains that dirty and unhygienic restaurants, food courts and eateries still exist. Some errant ones have even gone viral on social media.In fact, social media today plays an effective role in exposing eateries that do not practice cleanliness and hygiene.

On several occasions, I have witnessed dirty kitchens and toilets which make you lose your appetite.Does this reflect well on restaurant operators who pay scant regard to licensing rules and regulations?Are they aware that they are infringing sanitation and safety regulations under the Food Act 1983?Many of those preparing and serving food do not wear hairnets, gloves and aprons.No matter whether in the urban or the rural areas, many restaurants and eateries have cleanliness issues which need to be addressed.According to media reports, rats and cockroaches were found when inspections were carried out.

Read more: Alliance for Safe Community: Food, restaurant operators need to buck up on hygiene, Lee Lam Thye,...

Michael Cole, Professor of Forensic Science, Anglia Ruskin University

IT IS estimated that there is a staggering £300m worth of medicine unused in the UK every year. But is it safe to take these medicines if they are past their expiry date?

Expiry dates are put in place after rigorous trialling and controlled experiments to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the drugs people take. In short, they guarantee the potency of the drug. Medicinal drugs are all chemicals and the rate at which they go off will depend upon their chemical structure, the drug preparation, how they are packaged, environmental conditions, whether they are subject to microbial contamination and their exposure to heat, light, oxygen and water.The drugs are sold in a variety of containers including bottles, blister packs, tubes and ampules. They are relatively secure while sealed. But once the seal is broken, the process of “going off” accelerates.

Common painkillers

Let’s look at an everyday drug like paracetamol. This is an “over the counter” medicine, freely available, which helps to reduce pain or a fever. Paracetamol is sometimes sold in brown sealed bottles. The seal keeps moisture and atmospheric oxygen out. The brown bottle keeps UV light out as this can also cause the drug to breakdown. Once the seal is broken, the tablets are exposed to water and oxygen in the air and breakdown begins.

Paracetamol is also sold in blister packs. These packs are permeable to water and oxygen so they are covered in, for example, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC). This protects the contents and slows down the decomposition process but is still slightly permeable so doesn’t prevent it altogether.The consequence of this is that, despite the protection of the packaging, the drug content slowly declines. Research shows that when paracetomol based medicines go past their expiry date, up to 30% of the drug may break down in between 12 and 24 months.

Read more: theSundaily:Is it safe to use expired medicine?

KUALA LUMPUR: In just 10 days after Malaysia recorded its first case of 2019-nCoV coronavirus infection on Jan 25, 12 people have tested positive up to yesterday.The first three cases involved Chinese nationals who arrived in Johor from Singapore on Jan 23, while the most recent cases comprised two Malaysians evacuated from Wuhan, China, on Tuesday.Three Malaysians have tested positive for the virus, with the remaining cases involving Chinese nationals.Dubbed the Wuhan virus, in reference to the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province where the virus was first detected, the virus has gripped the world in fear, with a growing threat to a country’s economy and its people’s wellbeing.

On Jan 30, the World Health Organisation declared a global health emergency as the virus poses a threat to countries with weak healthcare systems.This is not the first time that Malaysia had been shaken by a global health crisis.The first human Japanese encephalitis (JE) case (a vectorborne zoonotic disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus) was reported in Malaysia during World War 2 in a British prison in 1942.JE had four major outbreaks, namely in Langkawi in 1974, Penang (1988), Perak and Negri Sembilan (1998 - 1999) and Sarawak (1992).According to WHO, Malaysia has between nine and 91 reported cases of JE each year.

Read more: NST: Other global health crises reported in Malaysia

Medicines are not a commodity.  Healthcare is a basic consumer right, and a major component of healthcare is the administration of medicines.  Medicines cure people and should never be treated as just another commodity, where pricing and accessibility would be determined by market forces. The Government has a critical role to play to ensure that all consumers, but especially the low and middle income have access to affordable medicines.

A Market Review on the Pharmaceutical Sector was undertaken by the Malaysia Competition Commission. According to the Report, “Malaysian drug prices are high by international standards”. It appears that the pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia are making exorbitant profits by international standards. In another study, it was found that “Malaysia has average higher retail prescription prices compared to Australia due to the lack of pharmaceutical regulation”. Further according to the Pharmaceutical Services Programme, Ministry of Health Malaysia (2018) on Medicines Prices Monitoring Malaysia (2017), wholesale medicine prices in Malaysia are 8 times greater than the International Reference Price (IRP). Further according to the Penang Institute, the median mark-up for originator’ and lowest-priced generics in private hospitals was 51% and 167% respectively.

Read more: FOMCA: Urgent Need Regulate Medicine Prices in Malaysia, Dato Dr PaulSelvaraj

KUALA LUMPUR: Fomca welcomed the move by the government to drop the sole concessionaire system for the distribution of drugs and medical supplies to the Health Ministry’s facilities.While it said consumers are expected to get cheaper supplies with the dismantling of the distribution monopoly held by Pharmaniaga, an international research and advocacy organisation said the prices are not likely to go down as Pharmaniaga does not determine the prices of the supplies.

Instead, an open tender system will be introduced, he said.Paul said the government should monitor the prices of medicines as they were quite high in Malaysia.“Whether encouraging the manufacturing of generics or greater competition or price controls, medicine has to be made accessible and affordable to people.“Big pharmaceutical companies are pushing back on these but the government should put the health of the people over the profits of pharmaceutical companies, ” he said.

Read more: THE STAR : Mixed views over medicine prices, CEO FOMCA