Governor reviews measures taken to tackle swine flu

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 5

Governor NN Vohra reviewed action taken by the Health and Medical Education Department to deal with swine flu in the state during a high-level meeting at the civil secretariat here today.

He also expressed regret over the delay in setting up laboratory facility at Government Medical College, Jammu, for testing H1N1 samples.

In view of some suspected cases of H1N1 influenza reported from certain areas of the state, the Governor had on January 29, reviewed the preparedness of the Health and Medical Education Department.

During the second review meeting today, the Governor was informed that a total of 54 samples across the state had so far been taken for testing —- 43 in Jammu and 11 in Kashmir.

Only two cases have tested positive and both the patients have since been treated satisfactorily, the meeting was informed.

Samples are being collected at Government Medical College and Hospital, SMGC Hospital, Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar and Sarwal at Jammu.

In Kashmir Division, testing facility is available at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura.

The Governor was informed that the H1N1 testing lab along with H1N1 ward, under execution since 2014-15 in Srinagar at a cost of Rs 7.05 crore, would become functional at GMC, Srinagar, from February 8.

A similar testing lab along with H1N1 ward is being set up at GMC, Jammu, at a cost of Rs 6.3 crore.

The isolation ward at GMC, Jammu, is already operational, the meeting was informed.

Vohra expressed regret over the delay and directed the officials concerned to make the laboratory facility at GMC, Jammu, fully operational without any delay.

He also directed the Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development, to make available the required funds to the Health and Medical Education Department for operationalising testing laboratories at both Srinagar and Jammu.

The Governor was informed the samples were being tested free of cost at both the Government Medical Colleges and all the government hospitals under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.

Vohra, meanwhile, directed that the testing of samples for the eligible patients at SKIMS be also made free.

The meeting was also informed that the Health and Medical Education Department had made necessary arrangements and was well prepared to deal with any emergency.

The meeting was also briefed on the availability of various consumable stocks. It was informed that there were 356 VTMs, 2,318 PPEs, 728 N95 masks, 7,700 triple layer masks, 24,360 oseltamivir tablets (tamiflu), 2,500 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in the state.

The meeting was further informed that an advisory had been circulated to all the districts and the healthcare professionals and paramedics, including ASHA and Anganwadi workers had been duly sensitised regarding the disease.

Private labs have also been identified for conduct of testing. Screening and sample collection centres for the suspected H1N1 patients have also been established at Government Medical College, Jammu; SKIMS, Soura; Government Medical College, Srinagar; Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar; and Government Hospital, Sarwal.

The Governor directed Health Secretary Mandeep Bhandari to keep a close watch on flu management arrangements and send him a daily report.

Vohra also told the state Health authorities to make use of all available media for carrying out a sustained campaign to enhance the awareness of the people at large regarding all aspects of H1N1 so that preventive steps were taken in time and there was no unnecessary panic.