The Deccan Chronicle 24.08.2010
No public health experts for health hubAug 23: This may come as a rude shock to those who felt that public health was a top priority in a city which is fast emerging as a health destination for patients from overseas.
According to official sources, the state health department has only one qualified public health expert, and he too has not been given the portfolio he is most suited for.
“Public health experts can forecast an epidemic and know what exactly is to be done to control the spread of a disease. But just a day after the Chief Minister took stock of the diseases hitting the state along with the health minister, a video conference was organised by the authorities of all 30 districts,and ironically there was not even one public health expert present to give his take on it,” says an officer, pointing out that although the government may have good intentions to control the spread of diseases, this cannot be done as long as it does not have technically qualified people to assist it in handling the problem.
When contacted joint director, communicable disease, department of health and welfare Dr T.S. Cheluvaraj said he was not aware of any shortage of health staff, adding in a hurry: “I am in Delhi now, attending a meeting.” The BBMP for its part, says it has its own team of 20 public health experts. “All our health officers are experts in public health,” says BBMP chief health officer, Dr LT Gayathri, claiming that all the civic agency's health officers have a diploma in public health in addition to their MBBS degrees.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru is getting feverish. A sharp rise in cases of viral fever in the city has even prompted some IT companies to advise their employees to work from home if they are down with it.
