I refer to the alarming surge in Influenza A(H1N1) deaths in the country. It is time for the government to consider declaring it a national health emergency.

All attention and resources should be geared towards stopping this deadly pathogen from spreading further.

Politicians from both sides of the divide should immediately drop all their antics and join forces with the authorities to safeguard the population from falling victims to this deadly bug.

Only a national health emergency declaration will jolt people to the seriousness of the situation.

The recent World Health Organisation (WHO) forecast that hundreds may die from A(H1N1) infection in the country is indeed frightening.

The number of deaths reported daily the last couple of days appears to substantiate the WHO forecast.

The Ministry of Health is doing its best, but it is not enough for a situation of this nature. It must to advise the government to declare a national health emergency.

Time is of essence here. Do we need to have one hundred people dead before we declare a national health emergency?