Press Statement On Singapore-Malaysia Bilateral Technical Working Group Meeting On SARS, 21 April 2003

21 Apr 2003

On 21 April 2003, the Singapore-Malaysia Technical Working Group comprising health, immigration and other officials from Singapore and Malaysia led by Mr Lock Wai Han, Commissioner, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore and Dr. Shafie Bin Ooyub, Director for Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Malaysia, met in Johor Bahru to discuss areas of cooperation on the prevention and control of SARS between the two countries.

The working group, chaired by Dr. Shafie Bin Ooyub, met to look into the operationalisation of the issues discussed at the Malaysia-Singapore Bilateral Meeting on SARS in Putrajaya on 16 April 2003, which include the following:

a) Possible Measures

The meeting discussed possible measures such as pre-departure checks, the distribution of Health Declaration Cards by the immigration authorities of both countries to departing travellers, and monitoring of temperature for all arriving and departing travellers to be implemented at land, sea and air checkpoints.

b) Operational Details and Procedures to Enhance Cooperation

The officials discussed and confirmed operational details and procedures to enhance cooperation between both countries in dealing with the SARS situation and in controlling the spread of SARS across the land, sea and air checkpoints. The meeting decided to adopt a common protocol on the referral of suspected SARS travellers across land border between Singapore and Malaysia.

c) Exchange of Information on SARS Between the Health Ministries

The meeting also proposed to share information such as name, passport/Identity Card numbers, age, sex, address, travel history, date of onset, date of hospitalisation and list of contacts, of all probable and suspected SARS cases involving travel through either country promptly. The medical information to be exchanged also include:

(i) Epidemiology

(ii) Clinical features

(iii) Public health measures

(iv) Infection control practices

(v) Contacts and Quarantine

(vi) Cases on board ships, aircraft and other vessels

(vii) Status update of SARS cases

The points of contact for the exchange of information relating to SARS issues between both countries were established at the meeting. The officials also agreed that regular meetings should be held between Health Ministries and Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) officials of the two countries to update each other on the SARS situation in both countries.

The next meeting will be decided after the ASEAN Leaders Forum on SARS to be held on 29 Apr 2003.