The steel city has been put on swine flu alert after cases of swine flu reported in the country. The East Singhbhum district health department is on its toes and is holding meetings to take stock of situation in the district.
Though the deadly swine flu is yet to hit the steel city; doctors, nurses and para-medical staff at the Government-run MGM Medical College and Hospital have started taking precautionary measures against the spread of this viral flu.
The doctors and medical staff, including the nurses in the hospitals have started using masks as a precautionary step. “We have not been provided with masks but in absence of a mask, I use my towel,” said one of the medical staff posted at the medical college hospital’s Out Patient Department (OPD).
“No swine flu case has been reported or even suspected in the district. But we are pulling up our socks in order to meet any exigency, if at all, it arises. Our staff is trained in using PPEs for collection of throat swabs. It is mandatory for doctors and paramedics to use PPEs while treating patients with H1N1 viral strain,” said the health official.
In the year 2009, during the pandemic flu outbreak across the country, three suspected cases of swine flu were reported and had been sent for laboratory test. Only one youth had tested positive.
Those who are using masks the most are in the Medicine department, where flow of patients with fever, cold and cough is the maximum. Superintendent of MGM Medical College and Hospital, RY Chowdhury admitted that the mask that is being used by the hospital staff, including the doctors is of sub-standard.
“We want to take every precautionary step to deal with the situation. We have placed an order for supply of triple-layer mask from the health department in sufficient quantity,” said Chowdhury. The superintendent said that over 300 patients are turning up at the hospital’s OPD every day and as the swine flu is spreading rapidly across the country, it is important to take some preventive measures by the staff.
He, however, prompted to add that no case of suspected swine flu case has been reported at the medical college and hospital. When asked about the availability of medicine of swine flu, Chowdhury said that one of the medicine stores in Sakchi, Sharda Medicals has obtained a stock of Tamiflu used in the swine flu treatment.
He said they have made all necessary arrangements for an isolation ward if any swine flu case is detected at the Government hospital. Meanwhile, district surveillance officer, Sabir Pal said that they have placed an order for the supply of Tamiflu to the district health department on urgent basis. “We are hopeful to get the stock of drug soon. The drug is likely to come in the next two days,” said Pal.