Striking doctors question health information desk at Irish airports

Public health information desks will be manned at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports from this morning offering advice on SARS to incoming passengers.

The six regional airports are to open desks, manned by Health Board officials, in coming days.

Striking public health doctors, however question how credible these information desks can be without the benefit of their expertise on infectious diseases.

They also questioned how effective the desks could be given that it will be up to passengers themselves to approach the desks, as there are no plans for airport officials to quiz incoming passengers about where they have just arrived from.

A source close to the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, said the Department was considering introducing such verbal screening as well as the possibility of having all incoming passengers fill in forms stating where they have travelled from or through. The source added, "systems would have to be put in place to facilitate that" and the immediate concern was to provide information.

A spokeswoman for the Department said the desks would be manned by environmental health officers and public health nurses.

They would have information leaflets - in English only from today but in English and Chinese from Wednesday - detailing SARS symptoms and advising of the locations of A&E departments, she said.

"From the morning there will be announcements on all flights as they come into the main airports advising people of the symptoms of SARS and urging people to make contact with the desks if they are concerned, or if they just want some information".

The announcements will be made again in the baggage reclaim area, she said.

Dr Joe Barry, one of the 300 striking public health doctors, said the information desks would be useful, "but the public do need to have a perception that the people on the desks giving out the information know exactly what they are talking about.

"There has been enough confusion already and a sense that people in authority don't know exactly what is going on."

Spokespeople for the six regional airports - at Farranfore in Kerry, Sligo, Waterford, Knock, Galway and Donegal - all said they would be in discussion with their local health boards today and tomorrow, about establishing similar public information programmes this week.