‘PPP' likely to face flu issue

With swine flu claiming its first victim in the state in Ahmedabad, the state government will hold a meeting with the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Gujarat Chapter, and other private hospitals on Monday to discuss measures to tackle the pandemic in a better manner.

State health secretary  Ravi Saxena said, "We will meet the IMA and other medicos in the city to discuss the issues related to swine flu. Health department will share with them the standard criteria to be kept in mind for suspecting a swine flu case."

"We are also thinking to approach the Union government to consider the request for allowing well-equipped private hospitals and laboratories to do tests for swine flu. This will allow quick diagnosis," Saxena said. He said the second phase of swine flu infection - from humans to humans - is likely to see an increase in the number of patients.

The IMA believes that government can't reach everywhere and therefore it needs to allow some private laboratories to do the testing. The government's view is that it can be possible only if the National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD) permits them if they maintain desired standards.

Meanwhile, sources in the Civil hospital here said that so far they have attended 32 cases of swine flu, of whom nine were confirmed positive. While one of them died, all others except two have been discharged.      

Of the two who have been kept in the isolation ward of the Civil hospital, one is positive whereas the test result of another is awaited. 

State health secretary Ravi Saxena said late on Sunday night that four new swine flu cases have been confirmed in the state. This makes the total number of positive cases to 17. Of the four new positive case, three are from Vadodara and one from Ahmedabad Civil hospital. Meanwhile, another suspect case of swine flu was admitted to the Civil hospital on late Sunday night.