The Times of India  25.08.2010

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will not carry out compulsory influenza H1N1 vaccination drive in the city.

The PMC's in-charge medical officer R R Pardeshi said on Tuesday, "The Union government has not issued any directives in this regard. The PMC or the state government will not carry out a compulsory vaccination drive in the city."

State chief secretary J P Dange had convened a meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday to decide about the vaccination programme. Municipal commissioners and health department officials across the state were present for the meeting.

PMC corporators have been demanding that the PMC undertake H1N1 vaccination programmes for citizens and hold awareness drives.

"Soon, two new companies will be bringing out H1N1 vaccines into the market and it is up to the citizens to decide about taking the same," Pardeshi said.

Municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade had on Monday told corporators in the general body meeting that there was no second wave of the H1N1 virus in the city. As of now, around 50 swine flu patients are admitted in Pune hospitals, of which only 13 are from within the PMC limits. Till date, the number of H1N1 deaths within the PMC limit is 115, including five from the cantonment areas.

"It is being wrongly projected that the city is assailed by the virus. We need to consider the fact that many of the patients being treated here for swine flu are from other parts of the state," Zagade had said.