Swine flu: Shortage of staff affects operating of ventilators

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 19

Even as the district Health Department has started creating awareness among the masses about the precautions to be taken for prevention of swine flu, it lacks staff to operate the ventilators for treatment of swine flu patients.

The department, however, is ready to facilitate patients in an isolated room, as per instructions of the state government.

After the first case was reported in the state before the beginning of the winter season in October, the state Health Department issued instructions to all the civil hospitals and asked them to get prepared to tackle swine flu under which the hospitals are supposed to have the ventilator facility, besides having sufficient tamiflu medicines, masks and an isolated ward.

Till February this year, about five patients had died of swine flu in Bathinda. As a precautionary measure against swine flu, doctors and para medical staff were also provided with the vaccines and double layered masks by the Health Department.

No case in Bathinda has been reported positive till now but alerts to doctors and medical staff to get prepared as per the guidelines have been issued by district health authorities.

An isolation ward has also been created in at the Bathinda Civil Hospital. All private hospitals and laboratories have also been instructed to report cases of swine flu.

Bathinda Civil Surgeon Dr Tejwant Singh Randhawa said, “We have started creating awareness among the masses about the precautions and very soon, along with NGOs, we will start distributing pamphlets to create awareness among people. There is a sufficient stock of tamiflu medicines and other necessities to tackle swine flu, besides the ventilator facility.”

He said infected patients should also take care of cough and sneezing to avoid transferring germs to others. Besides, they should avoid going to community markets, wash hands properly and frequently and avoid close contact with others.

Isolation of patient is needed. The patient suspected of swine flu should immediately rush to nearest doctor for treatment, he added.