Chandigarh Health Department fully equipped to tackle swine flu cases
Chandigarh: The Health department Chandigarh is making tiring efforts to control Swine flu cases in Chandigarh since June 2009. As per guidelines of Government of India, an action plan by the health department was chalked out. Three isolation wards with 50 beds in 3 major hospitals including PGIMER, GMCH-32 and GMSG-16 were constituted. The team of trained and dedicated doctors was posted in all the three Isolation wards and a 24 hours vigil and services were kept ready. Effective coordination between the three institutions was maintained in accordance with the guidelines of Government of India.
Swine flu is curable. Isolation and treatment protocol was kept in view while treating the patients in all three hospitals. Swine Flu cases started in the month of June 2009. During June first case was detected positive in GMSH, Sector-16. He was fully treated and cured. In the month of July four cases were reported. They were also treated and cured where as in the month of August, number of suspected cases increased to 138, out of these, 11 were detected positive. By this time, all the samples collected from the suspected cases were sent to NICD, New Delhi for testing. Later on from September, 2009 onward all the samples collected from three hospitals were got tested in the Department of Virology, PGIMER.
During the month of September 22 cases, in the month of October 18 cases were reported to be positive for Swine Flu. All positive cases were treated and recovered fully.
In the late September, October and November the doctors from PGIMER and GMCH were found positive.
The H1N1 infection was also noticed in other schools like Government Model School, Sector-21 and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-33. The private schools in the city reported one or two cases which included Rayon International Public School, St. Jones School, Shivalik Public School, K.B.D.A.V. Public School, Sacred Heart School-26, Chandigarh.
It will be out of place to mention that all the positive cases either in the Government or Private schools have been cured or fully recovered. As per policy guidelines, quite a few major colleges and schools were closed. The other school which reported one or two cases only affected classes were suspended for one week.
By and large, the school students from both Government and Private were treated and cured. Therefore, there is no need to panic. Screening in different schools is going on. Principals of both Government and Private schools have been sensitized. Preventive measures are being enforced in all the schools. The guidelines of Health & Education Department are being implemented effectively.
Awareness activities at public places, Schools, Colleges and coaching institutes are being done as a priority agenda. No death due to Swine Flu has been reported in Chandigarh. All the deaths reported in city hospitals were from outside.
The Health Department is fully equipped with medicines and expertise to tackle the Swine Flu cases in Chandigarh.
