The Times of India 09.09.2010
Civic body all set to tackle Swine Flu on a war footing
NAGPUR: With swine flu cases in the city g
oing north in the past fortnight, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has finally sprung into action.
Though the majority of the 36 H1N1 deaths in city are of patients from outside Nagpur who have come here for treatment, there has been a sudden rise in the number of suspected swine flu patients from all age groups including pregnant women. This has resulted in the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and the NMC taking measures to tackle the disease from spreading.
Since the NMC does not have the ability and the infrastructure to handle swine flu patients who require tertiary care, it is planning to make more ventilators available to both GMCH as well as the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College ( IGGMC). However, since procuring ventilators will take at least three weeks, the NMC is promising to make them available in a day or two from distributors who would be supplying the machines later.
NMC is also starting two more swine flu screening centres, at Daji Hosiptal at Gandhibagh and Netaji Hospital at Golibar square, immediately. Additional municipal commissioner Vishnupad Bute told TOI that if needed, NMC will also start screening centres at ESIS Hospital, Central Railway and South-East Railway Hospital and CGHS Hospitals.
“Six NMC hospitals have already been screening and examining patients since the last few days with all the doctors and nursing staff being provided proper protection kits,” said Bute.
Bute added that the NMC had sought permission from the state government to conduct swab tests at a private laboratory in the city. The state health department has already given such permissions to Nashik, Pune and Mumbai municipal corporations to conduct swab tests in their laboratories for faster detection of the disease.
Dr Rajendra Pradhan, the NMC deputy director of health, informed that the corporation is also asking another 4-5 private hospitals to treat swine flu patients. “That will happen only after the state government officials inspect these hospitals to check the infrastructure,” he said.
Currently, Orange City Hospital and Research Institute, Wockhardt Hospital, Hope Hospital, Chandak hospital are treating the swine flu patients and now Care Hospital, Mure Memorial, Janta Hospital, Jaripatka and Radha Krishan hospital will be roped in.
Though the majority of the 36 H1N1 deaths in city are of patients from outside Nagpur who have come here for treatment, there has been a sudden rise in the number of suspected swine flu patients from all age groups including pregnant women. This has resulted in the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and the NMC taking measures to tackle the disease from spreading.
Since the NMC does not have the ability and the infrastructure to handle swine flu patients who require tertiary care, it is planning to make more ventilators available to both GMCH as well as the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College ( IGGMC). However, since procuring ventilators will take at least three weeks, the NMC is promising to make them available in a day or two from distributors who would be supplying the machines later.
NMC is also starting two more swine flu screening centres, at Daji Hosiptal at Gandhibagh and Netaji Hospital at Golibar square, immediately. Additional municipal commissioner Vishnupad Bute told TOI that if needed, NMC will also start screening centres at ESIS Hospital, Central Railway and South-East Railway Hospital and CGHS Hospitals.
“Six NMC hospitals have already been screening and examining patients since the last few days with all the doctors and nursing staff being provided proper protection kits,” said Bute.
Bute added that the NMC had sought permission from the state government to conduct swab tests at a private laboratory in the city. The state health department has already given such permissions to Nashik, Pune and Mumbai municipal corporations to conduct swab tests in their laboratories for faster detection of the disease.
Dr Rajendra Pradhan, the NMC deputy director of health, informed that the corporation is also asking another 4-5 private hospitals to treat swine flu patients. “That will happen only after the state government officials inspect these hospitals to check the infrastructure,” he said.
Currently, Orange City Hospital and Research Institute, Wockhardt Hospital, Hope Hospital, Chandak hospital are treating the swine flu patients and now Care Hospital, Mure Memorial, Janta Hospital, Jaripatka and Radha Krishan hospital will be roped in.
