Private hospitals switch to crisis gear

The city woke up to a threatened Sunday  with the dreaded H1N1 virus (swine flu)  inching closer home claiming its first victim, Pravin Patel, a 43-year-old NRI, in the city  in the wee hours on Sunday.

But, good news is that, in its wake private hospitals in Ahmedabad have become more cautious about suspected flu cases in the city. Most of the individual and corporate hospitals have already alerted their infection control and disaster management committees for the safety of their staff and for patients as well.

The hospital authorities, however, said that have so far got no guidelines from the state government in context to the swine flu. Most of them are taking precautions as per prescribed medical standards. They are also using N-95 masks (a three-layer face mask) to protect their staff from any suspected infection thereby protecting all patients from being involuntarily infected from the hospital workers.

The medical director of Shalby Hospital, Dr Pankaj Doshi said that the hospital has formed an infection control committee as the precautionary measure. “We have also formed negative pressure isolation chambers (isolation rooms) conforming to international standards where patients who are severely contagious can be kept in quarantine so that the infection is not communicable.”

Not only this, the city hospitals are also checking the travel history in case of suspected patients.

The CEO of Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad, Dr Praful Pawar said that patients who have been suffering from influenza for more than two weeks are asked about their history of travel, if any, or if they have come in contact with some infected person. Not only this the doctors also insist on knowing if the patient has come in contact with any of relative who might have traveled abroad recently. 

Doctors also opine that all cases of flu are not swine flu and have asked people not to panic. But, they say, if a person has been having symptoms of cough, headache, and fever which had continued for more than five to seven days, the person should immediately consult the doctors and get proper medication as it could be swine flu.    

Director of Krishna Heart and Super Specialty Centre in Bopal, Dr Animish Chokshi said, “There isn't any reason to panic unnecessarily. But, if someone has been symptoms of cough, headache, fever continuously for days together, he or she should seek medical treatment at once and immediately consult a medical practitioner of respiratory diseases.” Chokshi further said that the hospital has not yet received any suspected cases of swine flu.

Agreeing with other doctors, Dr Dilip Jain from Sal Hospital too said, “Till now we have not received any such cases, however, if we do, patients would be rushed to the Civil hospital immediately which is equipped with H1N1 testing kit, after providing preliminary treatment in our hospital.” Jain further said that there are certain guidelines which the hospital authorities have to follow if such situation arises.

Jain also said that the health ministry has issued fresh guidelines with experts and doctors warning that the monsoon and winter months may produce more cases of swine flu. Patients who exhibit H1N1 symptoms have to report to government hospitals but would be allowed home quarantine if the case so warrants.