The Health Ministry is looking for additional human resources from military hospitals and voluntary bodies to help with screening for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) at entry points including the causeway.

Its minister Chua Jui Meng said this after chairing the second national committee meeting at his ministry this afternoon. The committee comprising ministries and authorities was established to tackle the Sars outbreak.

Manpower shortage

Chua said the national task force is working o­n a system to get doctors and nurses from military hospitals, private medical practitioners and voluntary bodies such as St John Ambulance Malaysia and Malaysia Red Crescent Society to help with screening.

"(The ministry) is facing pressures of human resources as most of our health personnel have been diverted to do screening at entry points," he said.

The ministry has not determined the number of volunteers required, but said this would be discussed at the cabinet meeting o­n Wednesday.

Chua said those interested to volunteer could contact the Sars operations room (03-2694 6394/ 2693 8053).

He also reiterated that the temporary freeze o­n the issuance of visas to highly-affected Sars countries - Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Canada and Vietnam - is still in place.

The Hong Kong Health Ministry website had posted information that Malaysia had temporarily lifted the travel restriction o­n Hong Kong citizens.

Chua said the matter was discussed at today's committee meeting and that a review of the policy would be submitted to the cabinet. He declined to elaborate.

On whether Britain and the United States would be included in the travel advisory list, Chua said the committee had not discussed this, but that it would leave the decision to the cabinet.

Border open

Chua stressed that the border to Singapore would not be closed although it is also classified by the World Health Organisation as among the highly-affected countries.

"Singapore is a very special situation, and we have special arrangement for this because of the geographically contiguous nature of both countries. A lot of effort has been put in by both countries to ensure the transmission (of the disease) is reduced," he said.

The border health committees of both countries will meet o­n Wednesday at Putrajaya.

The minister also revealed that feedback from the committee revealed that screening is not being thoroughly done at check points and airports.

"I was told that many people from (highly-affected countries) have not been screened. Therefore, the Transport Ministry will ensure 100 percent of screening of arriving passengers," he added.