Members of the Lao public are complaining about high prices for mouth masks used to prevent the spread of the A(H1N1) influenza virus.
The owner of Noupheuak Pharmacy, located in front of the Mother and Child Hospital, said she purchases a package of 50 masks for 28,000 kip and sells them for 1,000 kip each.
This earns her a profit of 22,000 kip per packet.
“In the future, I will not be able to sell masks for 1,000 kip each because the price of imported mouth mask has increased from 28,000 to 45,000 kip per packet,” she said.
She said demand for the masks currently outstrips supply.
Mahosot Hospital sells the masks for 2,000 kip each and Setthathirath Hospital 2,000 kip per mask.
Both Mittaphab Hospital and the Mother and Child Hospital sell the masks for 1,000 kip a piece.
Pharmacies located in front of Setthathirath Hospital sell the masks for 2,000 kip.
Director of the Mother and Child Hospital, Dr Bouavanh Sensathit said no profit is made when the masks are sold at 1,000 kip each.
“We sell the masks for 1,000 kip because our goal is to help prevent the public from contracting the virus,” he said.
“If more people contract the virus, hospitals will face increased burdens in treating them.”
Ideally the masks would be distributed free of charge. “Wearing one is absolutely better than not wearing one,” Dr Bouavanh said.
He said mouth masks prevent the spread of the virus through airborne particles when someone coughs or sneezes.
Many people believe the government should intervene and set a price for the masks to ensure traders don’t profit from a public health campaign.
Head of the National Emerging Infectious Disease Coordination Office Head, Dr Bounlay Phommasack said he has consulted with the World Health Organisation regarding whether or not people should be encouraged to wear the mouth masks.
He was told encouraging all people to wear the masks was not advisable.
“The masks need to be changed every day, which can be costly,” he said.
Masks could be useless in halting the virus because a wearer may remove their mask and in doing so touch the outside of the mask after it has been contaminated.
They may then contract the virus by touching their mouth with their dirty hands.
Dr Bounlay said people should wear mouth masks when attending crowded areas or places where the virus may be more prevalent.
He said if people can afford to wear a new mask everyday then they should do so.
So far, the total number of H1N1 cases in Laos has reached 156.
The nation’s first case of the virus was reported in mid-June.
Vientiane Times
August 8, 2009
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