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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

SWINE FLU CRISIS




SWINE FLU- CRISIS
14- year old Rida sheikh, who died of swine flu in pune on Monday 3 rd August 2009. Rida’s family would initiate legal proceedings against Jehengir Hospital, where she was treated.
The family lawyer, Asif Lampuala alleged that the girl’s death was a cause of “gross negligence” the family would claim’ huge sums in damages” and the money would be given to charity.
Rida was admitted to Jehangir Hospital on July 26 after midnight as she had very high fever and was suffering from breathlessness. Hospital authority told that it was pneumonia on July 27 and 28 they told she was suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome. On 29th, the hospital suspected swine flue and sent her samples to ruby Hall clinic for testing. The report, which was negative. It was only on the 31st that her samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology which tested her positive for swine flu. She was very critical and could not be moved to Naidu Hospital, her situation worsened and died on August 3”
The death of Ridha sheikh is the first in the country to fall to swine flu, hundreds of people thronged pun’s Naidu Hospital to get themselves or their children screened for swine flu over a thousand people with cold, cough and fever came to the Naidu Hospital every day. 10-12 doctors have been checking them since morning. The hospital had 13 positive cases as of Tuesday 2nd august. Mumbai too witnessed some panic and people mad a rush to the Kasturba Hospital, the centre treating swine flu cases in the city.
The Maharastra government is proposing rules for private practitioners so that not every patient with symptoms of swine flue is shifted to a public hospital. In pune only the Aundh and Naidu government hospitals can screen people for swine flu, but the government is in the process of identifying some more places where this can be done, since the numbers were increasing.
Swine flu claiming its fourth victims in the country. A 43 year old NRI in Ahmedbad. Prime Minister on Sunday,9th August 2009 asked union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to step up the preparedness and ensure closer coordination between in the health Ministry and the state governments to check the spread of highly contagious disease.
436 deaths have so far been reported from the U.S, in Argentina the figure stood at 337 and Australia 85. The Minister said swine flu cases might go up owing to the highly contagious nature of the disease that spreads in ‘geometrical ratio.
Gujarat recorded its first swine flu death on Sunday 9th August 2009. Non-resident Indian Pravin Patel, who had returned from Atlanta, united state, on July 31, fell victim to the A (HINI) virus at the government civil hospital in Ahmedbad. His wife is being treated for the flue-in the hospital. On their arrival at Ahmedbad air port, the couple was allowed to go home as nothing was found during the screening. But the two were later admitted to private hospital for treatment of common flu and pneumonia as they developed high fever. They were shifted to the government civil hospital on Friday in a critical condition after the doctors realized that they were not suffering from common flu possible swine flu.
20 test positive in Mumbai 735 people were screened and 140 throat swabs sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in pune and the haffkine institute.
At the Kasturba hospital, 234 patients were screened 66 samples taken and eight admitted. The Siddhartha hospital screened 67 people, took 11 samples and admitted one. The Central government on Monday 10th August 2009 decided to involve private hospitals in checking for the A (HINI) influenza that already claimed seven lives and affected 864 persons across the country. The decision was taken in view of the increasing number of swine flu cases pouring in to the government hospitals
Tamil Nadu recorded its first swine flu death on Monday when a four year old boy fell victim to the illness at a private hospital. Its authorities said SanjayBalakrishnan who had been ill for about a week, was moved through two private hospitals before he was finally shifted to Mehta Hospital, where his A (HINI) infection was finally detected.

Prof John Kurakar

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