Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Novel influenza vaccine at State hospitals
Nadira Gunatilleke
The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has made arrangements to obtain 380,000 Novel Influenza (A)H1N1 vaccines from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The vaccine will arrive in Sri Lanka in December. Tamiflu, the specific medication which needs to treat patients suffering from (A)H1N1 is available at all main State hospitals, a Ministry spokesman said.
He said the vaccine will be made available for persons infected with the virus. The persons belong to four risk categories, pregnant mothers, infants below the age of two, elderly above the age of 65 and persons suffering from other chronic illnesses. In other countries the vaccine is not administered to persons suffering from (A)H1N1 but here in Sri Lanka it will be made available for the patients to avoid complications. Isolated wards have been made available in 20 sentinel hospitals countrywide.
According to the spokesman 260 (A)H1N1 patients had been reported from Sri Lanka so far. The number of related deaths is eight. The disease is not deadly but the persons in risk groups should take precautions and extra care to prevent complications. The persons in four risk categories should seek medical treatment from a qualified doctor if they develop symptoms.
People with certain chronic medical or immuno suppressive conditions such as chronic lung (including asthma), cardiovascular (excluding hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell disease), metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus), immuno suppression, including that caused by medications or by HIV, those with disorders that can compromise respiratory function e.g. spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders and people younger than 19 years who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy also fall under the risk group.
In adults the symptoms usually include fever, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, headache and muscle or joint pains. These symptoms may last for a few days up to a week.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/23/news17.asp
Nadira Gunatilleke
The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has made arrangements to obtain 380,000 Novel Influenza (A)H1N1 vaccines from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The vaccine will arrive in Sri Lanka in December. Tamiflu, the specific medication which needs to treat patients suffering from (A)H1N1 is available at all main State hospitals, a Ministry spokesman said.
He said the vaccine will be made available for persons infected with the virus. The persons belong to four risk categories, pregnant mothers, infants below the age of two, elderly above the age of 65 and persons suffering from other chronic illnesses. In other countries the vaccine is not administered to persons suffering from (A)H1N1 but here in Sri Lanka it will be made available for the patients to avoid complications. Isolated wards have been made available in 20 sentinel hospitals countrywide.
According to the spokesman 260 (A)H1N1 patients had been reported from Sri Lanka so far. The number of related deaths is eight. The disease is not deadly but the persons in risk groups should take precautions and extra care to prevent complications. The persons in four risk categories should seek medical treatment from a qualified doctor if they develop symptoms.
People with certain chronic medical or immuno suppressive conditions such as chronic lung (including asthma), cardiovascular (excluding hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological (including sickle cell disease), metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus), immuno suppression, including that caused by medications or by HIV, those with disorders that can compromise respiratory function e.g. spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders and people younger than 19 years who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy also fall under the risk group.
In adults the symptoms usually include fever, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, headache and muscle or joint pains. These symptoms may last for a few days up to a week.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/23/news17.asp