Ministry denies call for swine flu certificate

The National Supervisory Committee for Combating Swine Flu is not seeking a medical clearance certificate from travellers.

The National Supervisory Committee for Combating Swine Flu has not issued any resolution demanding resident expatriates produce a medical clearance certificate that proves they are not infected with H1N1 virus upon returning to the country, a senior health official said today. ''The news about this issue is completely untrue,'' said Dr Ali bin Shuker, the director of the Ministry of Health and chairman of the Technical Health Committee for Combating Swine Flu. ''The National Supervisory Committee for Combating Swine Flu, which is chaired by the health minister Dr Hanif Hassan, is committed to standards set out by the World Health Organisation in fighting the H1N1 virus". Dr Shuker added that the committee had not undertaken a resolution to install thermal scanners at shopping centres in the country. ''The idea was not even included on the agenda of the two committees," he said. According to Dr Shuker authorities were striving to implement a public awareness plan devised in cooperation with other government stakeholders including the ministries of education and higher education and the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowment. ''The National Supervisory Committee for Combating Swine Flu is handling issues regarding this disease with transparency and clarity out of its keenness for the safety of the public,'' he said. * WAM