Further to our conversation last weekend o­n the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) problem , I must stress that this is the time to act decisively and with courage. It means o­ne may have to go beyond the norm of ' esok lusa * attitude. There might not be a tomorrow for those who may be afflicted with this disastrous and deadly disease.

We have medical facilities, infrastructure, many modern hospitals like Selayang, Putrajaya, Sungai Buloh in the offing, and money to fight this disease under the emergency consolidated budget. Kindly go to the cabinet and seek help from the government's chief secretary, Finance Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Samsuddin Hitam and the Federal Treasury director of the budget to channel part of this money to help the victims of this disease, their dependents, hospital staff and health workers.

This will ensure stability in the government, and prevent rumour-mongering and creation of frustration which can lead to jitters through loss of employment or business. It is here you can regain a strong image in the eyes of the public that you are bold and visionary. Words must be followed by actions - positive action that shows this is not another government gimmick to win votes for the next election.

Our immediate task is to protect the health workers, especially the doctors and nurses who have to take blood from and inject medication to all patients. As I said earlier, we have the money, the medical resources and competent staff to handle the situation.

The first thing to do, is to make available the Smartlock safety syringes to all hospitals and private clinics immediately, following the fine example of IJN (National Heart Institute), Armed Forces hospitals like Kinrara and Terendak, and USM Hospital in Kota Bharu.

These safety syringes have been available by the millions at the Pharmaniaga warehouse in Shah Alam for sometime now. But this item can o­nly be used in the hospitals and clinics if you or director-general of health or deputy director-general for public health issue a directive and make its use as mandatory. Do not ever allow bureaucracy to put up road blocks and offer minor excuses for delay in your immediate implementation to protect doctors, nurses and other medical staff.

Datuk Chua, you have the finest heart specialist or cardiac thoracic surgeon in the country in IJN, Datuk Dr Yahya Awang, and I am informed that he is more than willing to give a 'full presentation' to you personally or other medical luminaries o­n the use of the Smartlock syringes. I think you should also congratulate and give a pat to the defence minister, in particular the director for the military hospitals at Kinrara and Terendak in Melaka, for being "bold, imaginative and forward looking" in using these safety syringes.

Universiti Sains Malaysia in Kota Bharu is the first to use such syringes. However, not a single o­ne of the varsity hospitals including the Universiti Hospital in Petaling Jaya - supposedly the beacon of light, hope and future progress in medical science - followed suit. The UH is said to be working under great constraints.

Plans to protect our invaluable health workers from contracting Sars will definitely boost their confidence in treating patients. This will also allay the fear of the laypeople. The introduction of safety syringe to replace the current conventional disposable syringe is a necessary investment for the Malaysian health service. Who can put a price o­n human life? The safety syringe can prevent a needle-stick injury, the current disposable syringes cannot.

Safer syringes mean safer staff. We must look after our health workers. They are part of our national defence. Health workers, doctors and specialists must be protected now. If they are ignored, the price we pay is too terrible to ponder in years to come.

I do trust that my little humble advice is not taken as an affront to you and the government, both of whom have my respect.