Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

 

















[ Index ]
 

 
Call on the Malaysian Government immediately to improve MAS service such as by printing tickets with warnings to passengers about the danger of deep vein thrombosis on flights.
Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on the growing concern of international airlines about deep vein thrombosis, DVT - blood clots in the legs after sitting quietly for several hours. 12 January 2001.

 
The competition among international airlines is very intense. With its
handicap in the domestic routes, MAS has to vie with other airlines for
passengers and cargoes. Its debt is RM 8.5 billion.

Recently, the Malaysian Government bought Tan Sri Tajuddin' s 29.09 per cent MAS equity at RM 8 per share instead of the market price of over RM 3. This has caused speculations. Since the Government has done this, it should quickly improve the services of MAS such as by giving warnings on DVT on tickets, video and labels. It should also help MAS by reviewing the incidence of DVT among air passengers in Malaysia.

For many years, we know that some long-hauled passengers develop DVT and the blood clots from their legs can lodge in the lungs causing pulmonary embolism and death. Now, about 800 people from Australia and New Zealand intend to sue 20 airlines for compensation. Again, DVT becomes news.

INCIDENCE OF DVT

Heathrow that is near London is one of the world's busiest airport. Every
month, nearly one million long-hauled passengers land there. The nearest hospital to the airport is Ashford.

In the last three years, it has had 30 passengers who died from DVT and pulmonary embolism. According to Mr John Belstead, a consultant at the hospital, the problem is real. The death tolls may not be as horrific as those due to road accidents, but airlines can prevent them.

There may be 2,500 passengers who died from DVT in Britain every year. This may be the tip of the iceberg. In Australia, a surgeon from St Vincent's Hospital, Mr Reginald Lord thought that about 400 passengers a year might arrive in Sydney airport suffering from DVT.

MAS should take the matter seriously by helping to prevent DVT. This a way of improving its services.

If a passenger sits quietly for several hours, he or she may have DVT.
Whether it is business or economy class, passengers must not stay still for too long. Even in our domestic flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching or Kota Kinabalu taking over two hours, the passengers should stand up and walk every one hour for three to five minutes, drinking plain water and avoiding alcohol. Some can take 75 to150 mg Aspirin that can private blood clotting.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

 

 
[ Home | Political | Medical | Personal ] Article #280
[ Recent | Archives | Forum | Feedback ] [ Index ]