Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 18: A Swine Flu diagnostic centre, in the absence of which people of Jammu region had to suffer a lot in the last winter season when this dreaded communicable disease took many into its fold and claimed about five lives in Jammu region, is likely to be ready to serve the people from 1st week of October, as the work on it is in full swing at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu.
Besides the Swine Flu diagnostic centre, an independent Isolation Ward with all required facilities including 16 isolated rooms and a 6-bed ICU will be ready to serve the patients suffering from the disease from September ending or 1st week of October if all goes well.
According to Principal, GMCH, Dr Ghansham Dev Gupta, the work on the project whose estimated cost is about Rs 6 crore, was started in the month of March this year after required funds were sanctioned for the same. He said that a whole block in the ground floor of GMCH building near old store has been reserved for the project and its renovation work is going on in full speed.
Dr Gupta informed that the project includes a full-fledged diagnostic centre for Swine Flu and an independent isolation ward comprising 16 isolated rooms and 6-bed ICU with all modern facilities including ventilators.
“The project will prove highly beneficial for Swine Flu suspected or suffering patients, as now they won’t have to wait for 8-10 days for the outcome of the report of their swab samples and will get the same the very next day of giving sample, thus helping doctors to detect the disease timely, which will facilitate proper treatment of the patients suffering from the disease”, said Dr Gupta, adding besides this, like earlier there will be no need to convert Chopra Nursing Home into isolation ward and close it for other patients if the disease outbreaks again in future.
“Moreover, this diagnostic centre and isolation ward would be of great help in case of outbreak of any epidemic like Ebola virus and Dengue”, Principal, GMCH added.
Pertinent to mention here that Swine Flu had claimed 17 lives in Jammu and Kashmir, earlier this year while the number of people infected by the disease had crossed 400. In Jammu region, four people had died due to swine Flu while about 40 people had been tested positive for H1N1 virus in the Jammu region and 377 in Kashmir region.
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