The Hindu : Karnataka News : A(H1NI) claims 245 lives in State

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Friday, Sep 17, 2010
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Karnataka

Karnataka

A(H1NI) claims 245 lives in State

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The number people who died of influenza A (H1N1) (swine flu) has touched 245 in Karnataka since January 2009.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare B. Sriramulu, who chaired a review meeting of the Health Department here, told presspersons on Thursday that the virus had claimed the lives of 110 people this year alone. It claimed 135 lives last year.

Despite instructions to all urban civic bodies to give priority to maintaining hygiene to arrest the spread of the virus, there had been no decline in the number of deaths due to the virus, he said.

Chikungunya

A total of 7,463 suspected cases of chikungunya have been reported this year in the State and 1,084 tested positive. Dengue has claimed the life of five persons.

The Minister said the Vajpayee Arogya Shree, a health scheme, had been extended to seven districts under the Belgaum division also. About 20 lakh below poverty line families are eligible to obtain free medical treatment in a network of hospitals.

The scheme was earlier launched in the Gulbarga division. The department has spent Rs. 17.5 crore for providing free medical facilities in Gulbarga division, he said.

Admitting that shortage of doctors and specialists had been adversely affecting the delivery of health services in government-run hospitals, Mr Sriramulu said 567 specialists posts were vacant. A decision had been taken to hire services of doctors (MBBS) on a contract basis.

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