TNN

Coimbatore, May 29: Air passengers with symptoms of H1N1 infection may manage to fly into India, but some airlines are refusing to airlift their blood and swab samples for testing, citing lack of permission. With the result that over the last two weeks, at least four patients have been forced to remain quarantined in hospitals here for three to four days, though their results turned out to be negative.

On Thursday morning, a five-year-old boy arrived at Coimbatore airport from Boston, in the US, with symptoms of H1N1 infection. The boy, along with his mother and eight-year-old sister, were quarantined at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. However, according to hospital's resident medical officer R Sivaprakasam, the doctors could not dispatch their blood samples immediately to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in Delhi as SpiceJet, which operates a late evening flight from Coimbatore to Delhi, refused to "airlift blood specimens."

SpiceJet officials confirmed that they declined to take the "blood samples". Spice Jet chief instructor for dangerous goods regulations, Suresh Ananthanarayan told TOI, "We don't have the approval to carry any dangerous or infectious substances. Under Rule 3 of Aircraft (Carriage of Dangerous Substances) Act, we have to get prior approval of the director general of civil aviation (DGCA). Some private airlines like Jet Airways have got the approval. We are on the verge of applying for the approval. Besides, we cannot carry blood samples without knowing the medical history of the patients."

Blood samples of suspected H1N1 patients in Tamil Nadu have to be dispatched to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in Delhi and National Institute of Virology, Pune as the testing facility is not available in the state. Director of public health Dr S Elango pointed out that the blood samples and swabs have to be dispatched to the laboratory within 24 hours.

"We are facing hardship as the patients want to leave, but we are unable to dispatch the blood samples immediately," R Sivaprakasam said. The blood samples of the suspected H1N1 patients are sent, after a day's wait, by the Jet Airways flight the next day, he said. "This delay could be avoided if the airlines are given instructions to airlift such blood samples at short notice," health officials said.

Dr SK Thirunavukkarasu, the assistant resident medical officer of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, said: "Airlines refuse to take the consignment though we tell them that it is an urgent matter and of national importance,". Despite presenting the hospital dean's letter stating that the blood specimens were "isolated and safe and will not cause any infection," the airlines refused to airlift it, he said.