The Hindu : Front Page : A(H1N1): officials told to visit houses

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Wednesday, Sep 22, 2010
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A(H1N1): officials told to visit houses

Special Correspondent

Court for treatment provided to all 130 affected persons
State government submits report on steps taken

CHENNAI: The First Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday instructed the State government to issue a direction to the officers of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Health Sub Centres to visit swine flu-affected houses and other houses to control the situation.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice M. Yusuf Eqbal and T.S. Sivagnanam also wanted the government to provide all possible treatment to the 130 persons affected with swine flue and submit a report about the result of treatment. “It is needless to say that the monitoring committee should continue to monitor the situation,” the Bench said after the State government submitted a report in the court on swine flue situation and the steps taken by it to control the disease.

The government report followed after R. Balasubramanian, an advocate affiliated to the AIADMK, wanted a direction from the court to the give proper treatment to every one. In his report, Health Secretary V.K. Subburaj said of the 3,596 samples tested so far, 774 cases were found to be positive. Six hundred and thirty five cases were treated and discharged. Only nine deaths were reported and other patients are under treatment.

“Availability of vaccines for H1N1 fever has been given wide publicity. Vaccination at the lowest cost is arranged at King Institute, Guindy, and Chennai Corporation Laboratories, Chennai,” the report said. The government also told the court about free vaccination to families living under below poverty line. It sanctioned Rs. 15 crore for vaccination of 10 lakh people initially. For the others, vaccination would be available at the lowest cost.

The Health department has commenced screening of school and college students, besides creating isolation wards in all medical college hospitals and district headquarters hospitals to manage the patients affected with H1N1. “Adequate antiviral drugs and Tamiflu tablets and syrups are issued to all the Government medical institutions and adequate quantity is stocked in the headquarters,” the report said.

As regards Kanyakumari, Chennai, Vellore and Coimbatore districts, where the virus had spread, the government is carrying out intensive screening of fever cases in colleges, schools and houses.

All the 1,539 PHCs, 8,706 Health Sub Centres and local body health staff are involved in active case finding through house visit and health education. The list of the fever cases admitted in the hospitals is collected and Health Inspectors visit the affected houses and organise control measures.

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