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'Enough Tamiflu stock available'

Govt and medical store owners assure state has enough stock to deal with rising H1N1 cases

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Amid reports that medical stores are running out of Tamiflu medicines with the H1N1 cases increasing with each passing day, government and medical store owners assured on Friday that enough stock of the medicine is available. However, they cautioned against unguarded use as it could reduce one's immunity.

Authorities said the tablet is available for free at government-run hospitals on prescription of a doctor. "We have provided Tamiflu to a number of private hospitals after they approached the AMC. We have enough stock AND tablets are available for free at urban health centres and AMC-run hospitals. There is no scarcity of medicine," said Mukesh Kumar, commissioner. Medical store operators in city told DNA that many of them ran out of the drug on August 14-15, but enough medicine has been stocked now. "Even if a retail store runs out of stock, it can get fresh stock within minutes," said Jaswant Patel, chairman of Federation of Gujarat State Chemists and Druggists' Association.

Vishnubhai Patel, former president of Ahmedabad Chemists' Association said one can even call the association's office for same.

Notice to hosps for admitting H1N1 patients with others

The AMC on Friday served notice to two hospitals admitting H1N1 patients though they don't have a separate isolation ward facility as mandated for the same.

Shifa Hospital of Jamalpur and Sardar Hospital, Maninagar were served notices. "At both the hospitals, three H1N1 patients were admitted along with general patients, which is not allowed. If any hospital wants to admit swine flu patients, it is mandatory for them to have isolation ward facility. We have sought explanation within three days," said Mukesh Kumar, municipal commissioner, AMC.

Kumar told mediapersons that extensive surveillance is going on across the city for suspect swine flu, malaria, dengue and chikungunya cases.

Aug accounts for 80% H1N1 cases this year

The swine flu situation in Gujarat seems to be getting worse by the day. The flu claimed 12 more lives in the state on Friday, even as 228 new cases were confirmed by the authorities.

The state government said that 12 more people died of swine flu on Friday, including four each in Ahmedabad and Vadodara cities. One death each was reported from Ahmedabad district, Mehsana, Gandhinagar and Patan.

With this, the death toll because of swine flu has gone up to 242 this year, of which a majority of the deaths have been in August. In fact, almost 80% of the total 2,500 swine flu cases since January 1 this year have been reported in the current month alone.

According to officials, Ahmedabad city remains the worst-hit by swine flu. It reported 111 new cases of swine flu on Friday, almost half of the 228 new cases that were reported across the state.

TAMIFLU NOW A SCHEDULE-H DRUG

  • Tamiflu was earlier under Schedule X of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, meaning a medical store operator required special licence for its stock. However, considering the high number of deaths in the state this year due to swine flu, it was recently put under Schedule H, meaning any registered medical store operator can stock and sell it.
     
  • Operator of medical store near Shyamal Crossroads said medicines of different companies are priced differently. One is priced around Rs500 per 10 tablets, while other at Rs1,200 per 10 tablets. Most medical store operators have the cheaper one, so they run out of the stock sooner. However, the medicine can be made available at short notice, as wholesalers have ample stock.
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