India, Hyderabad: 17 Health Care Workers infected with the new H1N1

[Gert van der Hoek]

Hospitals facilitating spread of swine flu!


Bhargav Nimmagadda First Published : 17 Sep 2009 01:29:15 PM IST

HYDERABAD: The city is virtually sitting on a swine flu bomb. Notwithstanding the tall claims of the State Government, facilities at the Gandhi and Osmania hospitals and the eight area hospitals are poor at best and worst at worst.

The area hospitals have screening facilities whereas the Gandhi and Osmania hospitals have isolation wards too in addition to screening equipment.
??But the isolation ward in the Osmania General Hospital is not isolated enough from other wards. It was opened in a haphazard manner without even ventilators.

This is causing more problems,?? a nurse at the OGH told Express pointing to the proximity of H1N1 patients to the others in the hospital.
Besides, there is an acute shortage of medical staff.

More dangerously, lack of protective gear and proper facilities are deterring doctors and nurses from attending to the patients.

The news that 14 junior doctors and three nurses at the Gandhi and Osmania hospitals tested positive for swine flu has heightened their fears.

Another nurse said they were not even being informed whether a patient had tested positive for swine flu. ??Doctors are doing their run-of-the-mill check-ups and backing off from treating patients. We are being pushed around to take care of patients,?? she alleged.

Health Minister D Nagender, without first addressing these basic problems, sought to put the blame on Maharashtra for the increasing fatalities in the State.

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, he claimed that the government had done everything possible to prevent ??import?? of virus from abroad. ??But neighbouring States like Maharashtra ignored the situation with the result that the number of indigenous cases are on the rise.

As many come here from there, the virus is fast spreading here. Screening all those who come here from Maharashtra is impossible,?? he said.

Chief Minister K Rosaiah will hold a video conference with district collectors on Thursday on the precautionary measures to be taken to prevent the spread of the flu.

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[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India, Hyderabad: 17 Health Care Workers infected with the new H1N1

HC asks govt to explain steps taken to prevent swine flu
TNN 17 September 2009, 04:57am IST


HYDERABAD: The A P High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to inform it within one week as to what steps it is taking to prevent the
spread of H1N1 flu virus in the state along with the steps it is taking to treat those who are affected with it.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Anil Ramesh Dave and Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy, while hearing a public interest petition that challenged the inaction of health authorities in this regard, told the state government that it is its bounden duty to supply preventive masks at reasonable prices to the public.
"We also wish to know as to what are the compulsions imposed at the airports on the passengers suspected of being affected with H1N1 virus coming from various countries and other states. The government shall also state as to what sort of directions it gave to the private hospitals in the state for admitting those affected by this virus. Also tell us about the efforts you have put in for the rural areas and the arrangements you made for isolating the virus hit at government hospitals," the bench said. "Along with this, you have to tell us about the steps taken to spread awareness and the methods of prevention etc," the bench said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-to-prevent-swine-flu/articleshow/5020460.cms