Health Dept sets up helpline

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 24

Due to the panic created in the wake of the first case of bird flu detected in geese here, last week, the UT Health Department today set up a 24-hour helpline to answer the queries of residents.

A helpline -- 783731503 -- has been started and will be managed by eight doctors deputed from the Department of Community Medicine at the PGIMER and Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32.

“A training session was organised for the doctors to sensitise them on bird flu and the carry home message to be conveyed to the callers. Only those having symptoms of flu coupled with a history of exposure to the geese at Sukhna Lake in the past 8 to 10 days are to be considered as suspected patients,” said Dr VK Gagneja, UT Director Health Services (DHS).

Meanwhile, a total of 7,250 houses were surveyed within the 3-km radius of Sukhna Lake today. The total number of houses covered in the area in the past four days is 12,000. Residents were also assessed for flu-like symptoms and history of exposure to the geese.

8 persons examined

A total of eight patients were examined at the bird flu screening area. However, none were found with symptoms of the virus. No new admissions were made in the isolated wards on Wednesday and no samples were collected.

Nodal officer keeps a tab
Dr Anil Garg, nodal officer, the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), posed as a resident and rang up at the helpline to see the response of the doctors deputed.