Swine flu: Asean gears up

JAKARTA: As the outbreak of swine flu threatens to spread to the region, Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) officials are looking at coordinating measures to address this latest public health emergency.

“The region has the necessary experience to come to grips with this latest situation and I am now coordinating with all Asean ministers of health to provide the necessary cooperation and support,” said Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan.

Asean, together with the World Health Organisation (WHO), had several exercises in 2007, 2008 and 2009 to familiarise Asean health officials with issues and to ensure a more direct and efficient delivery of Tamiflu and Relenza to requesting countries.

Tamiflu and Relenza can be used to treat symptoms of swine influenza and to prevent the disease among those infected or exposed to the virus.

In cooperation with Japan, Asean has 500,000 courses of the antiviral drug stockpiled in Singapore while another 500,000 courses have been distributed to member states.

“We have established a system to distribute the stockpile in the event of a pandemic,” Surin said in a statement here Wednesday.

The Jakarta-based Asean Secretariat is on full alert 24 hours a day, seven days a week to anticipate any request for the antiviral drug by member states.

“In view of the urgency, the Asean Secretariat is also arranging for a teleconference with the region’s health officials, comprising experts on communicable diseases and on emerging infectious diseases,” Surin said.

The teleconference aims to review current preventive measures being taken by Asean member states and the need to consider a common stand and secure agreement on issues related to public health measures being carried out, such as surveillance, quarantine and border control, and other relevant issues.

Surin said the issue of mobilisation of additional resources such as the Asean stockpile of antiviral agents and personal protective equipment was also expected to be on the agenda.

The regional measures are expected to supplement those carried out by individual Asean countries to ensure that they are prepared to face the occurrence of swine flu among humans. -- Bernama

Obama calls first 100 days tense but fruitful

By JULIE PACE, Associated Press Writer Julie Pace, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 22 mins ago
ARNOLD, Mo. – Marking his symbolic 100th day in office, President Barack Obama told Midwesterners Wednesday: "I'm pleased with the progress we've made but I'm not satisfied."

"I'm confident in the future but I'm not content with the present," the president told a town-hall style event in a St. Louis suburb.

Later, the president planned to head back to Washington to send that same message to the rest of the country at a prime time news conference.

Even as his administration sought to minimize the symbolism of the 100-day marker, the White House staged these two high-profile, high-visibility events to promote Obama's accomplishments while pressing his big-ticket agenda.

In office just three months, the Democrat enters the next phase of his new presidency with a high job approval rating and a certain amount of political capital from his history-making election last fall. But he also faces a thicket of challenges as he seeks to move ahead on multiple fronts both foreign and domestic amid recession and war. He will need continued public support to accomplish his lofty goals.

Thus, Obama used the anniversary — some aides derided it as a "Hallmark holiday" — to travel to Missouri to press his case.

"We have begun to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off, and we've begun the work of remaking America," Obama proclaimed. But he acknowledged, "We've got a lot of work to do because on our first day in office, we found challenges of unprecedented size and scope."

He defended his ambitious, costly plan, saying: "These challenges could not be met with half measures. They couldn't be met with the same, old formulas. They couldn't be confronted in isolation. They demanded action that was bold and sustained."

And, Obama countered critics who said he's taking on too much, as he works to turn around the recession while revamping energy, education and health care in the United States.

"The changes that we've made are the changes we promised," Obama said. "We're doing what we said we'd do."

Earlier, Obama began his day at the White House, where he welcomed Sen. Arlen Specter, the veteran Pennsylvania Republican, to the Democratic Party. The president said he was "grateful" for Specter's decision to switch parties. Vice President Joe Biden, who had long encouraged his former Senate colleague to become a Democrat, also attended.

The president then darted to Missouri to hold what aides billed as a question-and-answer event, though Obama spent roughly 20 minutes making opening remarks in which he touted changes his fledgling administration already has made and other issues it wants to tackle in the coming months.

Obama drew a standing ovation from the crowd as he noted his first 100 days, saying: "That's a good thing." He also hailed the day as "the beginning of another long journey," given the challenges facing the country. And he said he's pleased the public seems to understand that.

The president promised to fight for everyday Americans, saying: "My campaign was possible because the American people wanted change. I ran for president because I wanted to carry those voices, your voices, with me to Washington. So I just want everybody to understand you're who I'm working for every single day in the White House. I've heard your stories. I know you sent me to Washington because you believed in the promise of a better day. And I don't want to let you down."

Obama reached his 100th day with strong public backing. An Associated Press-GfK poll found that 64 percent of Americans approve of his job performance and 48 percent believe the country is headed in the right direction. The "right direction" number is up 8 points since February and 31 points since October, the month before Obama's election.

But problems may lurk behind that public optimism. Ninety percent of Americans consider the economy an important issue — the most ever in an AP poll — and 65 percent said it's difficult for them and their families to get ahead.

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