Adil Lateef
Srinagar, Jan 19: A day after Union Health Ministry alerted the officials over H1N1 virus and directed them to create awareness; the health authorities in Kashmir said they are “well-equipped and prepared” to tackle the outbreak of the swine flu in the region.
The Union Health Minister J P Nadda who chaired a review meeting regarding the preparedness for tackling the disease yesterday directed officials to strengthen the nationwide awareness campaign.
More than a dozen persons have died due to swine flu in several states of the country including Rajasthan, Punjab and Delhi.
Given the eventuality of outbreak of the swine flu in Valley due to cold weather, the health officials today said they are prepared this time unlike last year when dozens of persons died due to H1N1 virus here. The officials said they have already held series of meetings to review the preparedness but added that so far no case of H1N1 virus has been detected.
Medical Superintendent of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, Dr Farooq Jan, said though the hospital is prepared but there is dearth of “one-two things” including masks but “we will overcome that within two days”.
“There are one-two things which are unavailable but overall we are ready. We have already kept vaccines available on counters for public and as well staff. We have an 8-bedded isolation ward available and also another 4-bedded. We have testing lab available which we arranged on our own funds. The medication is also available with us,” said the Medical Superintendent.
However, Jan said that for masks they have done tendering and financial bidding and tomorrow the matter would be taken up in purchase committee. “We have already initiated the process and we will place the order within two days hopefully. We do have some old masks here at present,” he said.
Principal Government Medical College (GMC) and Associated Hospitals, Dr Kaiser Ahmad, also said that they are ready to meet any eventuality. “Recently we held a meeting in which we reviewed the stock position including availability of anti-virals, tablets, masks, kits, etcetera while the vaccines are also available with us,” he said. He said that unlike last year this time they are prepared with full logistics.
The Incharge of Chest Disease Hospital, Dr Naveed Nazir, said the hospital has already stocked 20,000 tablets but no H1N1 case has come forth so far.
With officials claiming that they are ready to tackle the deadly disease this time but Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) president, Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan, who is also H1N1 expert, said these claims are “hollow”. “Unfortunately we were never prepared and clinically the flu activity has started. There is no surveillance and testing facility for viral,” he said. The DAK president said the vaccination drive has not been conducted on such level where the chances of infection minimize.
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