Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Feb 16: Health and family welfare minister U T Khadar on Monday February 16 allayed fears about spread of H1N1 (swine flu) in the state and said that the disease has been brought under control.
Addressing a press meet at Circuit House here, Khadar said, "People need not fear about H1N1, but they should take precautions and cooperate with the health authorities.
"The disease has been brought under control in the state because of everyone's efforts. So far, 1,157 samples have been tested out of which 285 have turned out positive. Out of 285 confirmed cases, 173 (patients) have already recovered after medication and 15 are still suffering from high fever. Another 74 are in various hospitals. Altogether, there have been 18 deaths from swine flu in the state so far, out of which eight deaths were in January, nine in February and one was an old case," he explained.
Urging people to take precautions, he said, "H1N1 is a virus. If the fever continues unabated for three days, and if there is throat infection or any respiratory problem, the person should be rushed any taluk or district hospital and immediately the medication will be started. The throat swab will be collected to test for swine flu. If the condition deteriorates, the patient will be shifted to ICU. The treatment will be free of cost."
He further added, "The medicines for swine fle are available with only a few dealers, but there is no shortage. Even when private hospitals approached us, we provided them the medicines.
When a patient at Rajiv Gandhi hospital in Bengaluru was told that there was no medicine for swine flu in the hospital, and when this issue was brought to my notice, I called up the medical education minister who is in charge, and he said he would issue a show-cause notice to the hospital."
On the cause for the spread of the disease in the state, he said, "The disease has been transmitted from people of other states. The health department has taken adequate measures, and compared to 2009, 2010 and previous year, it is more in control this year.
"Swine flu is a seasonal disease. There is no need to fear, but see that it does not spread to others," he added.
In Mangaluru
On the spread of swine flu in Mangaluru, he said out of the 60 samples, 10 have tested positive, out of which one patient has already recovered.
Two swine flu patients have died in the city's hospitals, but they were from Kasargod and Rajasthan and not locals, he said.
Laboratories
He said in the coming budget, the government plans to set up laboratories throughout the state including in Dakshina Kannada district, specifically designed to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Such laboratories are already in place in Manipal, Shivamogga and Bengaluru, he said.
He further said that the salary for contract doctors has been raised from Rs 26,000 to Rs 40,000, and the MBBS doctors who render service in rural areas will get Rs 2,000 more.
On the issue of compensation to endosulfan victims, he said committees have been set up under the deputy commissioner and the district incharge minister, and any complaints can be brought to their notice. He added that he has personally not recieved any complaints.