Health Dept gears up to deal with swine flu cases

Aparna Banerji 

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 3 

The Health Department is all set to deal with swine flu cases in the district. The possibility of such cases increases in winter. 

The Health Department today issued guidelines to private hospitals that they would not be allowed to charge more than Rs 2,000 to 2,200 from swine flu patients at their respective hospitals. The authorities have also formed two isolation wards for swine flu patients at the Civil Hospital. 

While three beds have been reserved in the trauma ward as an isolation ward, the ENT ward of the Civil Hospital has been created as the second isolation ward.

As many as 19 swine flu cases were reported earlier in 2017 while medical experts are of the view that the city has traditionally been witnessing an outbreak of the disease in the beginning of January. 

At present, the Civil Hospital has a stock of 6,000 tamiflu tablets, which is sufficient for 600 patients. In 2018, no case of swine flu has been reported from the district so far. 

District Epidemiologist Dr Preetkamal said, “Two isolation wards have been created at the Civil Hospital to prevent a massive outbreak of the disease. A marginal number of cases were reported from the district in the past. But we are now fully prepared to deal with swine flu. Barring the preparations to deal with a medical exigency, we are also spreading awareness about the disease. A meeting of IMA doctors was held today to ensure all H1N1 category B patients are duly notified with the Civil Hospital.”

Speaking on the directions given to the private hospitals not to overcharge patients for ventilators, Dr Preetkamal said, “There have been cases where private hospitals were found overcharging patients for ventilators. While these are free at the Civil Hospital, some hapless patients were bound to be duped in a medical emergency at private hospitals. After the Civil Surgeon’s directions, private hospitals will no more be allowed to get away with this.” 

Meanwhile, the health authorities in Kapurthala have also created an isolation ward to tackle swine flu cases in the season.