Only testing lab fights spurt in swine flu cases

“We are stretching our resources to the maximum. Till November and December last year, we were conducting 40-50 tests and we used to give the reports in a day. But if the tests multiply four to five times, reports are bound to get delayed,” a senior scientist from NCDC said.

From Monday, AIIMS — which has so far been conducting 15-20 tests daily for its own patients only — was asked to conduct tests for patients from other South Delhi hospitals.

Dr Lalit Dhar from AIIMS, microbiology, said, “We are capable of conducting around 100 tests a day. Now, we have been asked to take samples from other hospitals too. The guidelines are very clear — only C category patients with respiratory symptoms should get tested. Category B patients, who have existing conditions such as diabetes, or pregnant women, should be treated but not necessarily tested.”

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He said so far, 30-40 per cent of the tests conducted by AIIMS were positive for swine flu.

Sources said the 13 government laboratories under the ICMR’s influenza surveillance network across the country — which are equipped with a Real Time PCR (RT PCR) technology to conduct the tests — were roped in for tests last week.

“There is spurt in cases this year. Till now, the NCDC in Delhi and NIV in Pune were sufficient as referral laboratories. Now facilities to set up RT-PCR diagnostic tests may be expanded to other government laboratories,” a senior Health Ministry official said.

Plans on starting 25 new laboratories equipped to the scale of NIV, to conduct advanced diagnostic tests, which was announced in 2010, have seen little progress, officials said.

Meanwhile, eight private labs, which have been handling the burden of cases in the capital, charge Rs 5,000-9,000 to provide results within the same day or the next.

CMD of Dr Lal laboratories (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal said, “We are handling 10 times the number of patients compared to government laboratories when it should be the other way round. We are testing up to 600 patients a day on an average. On one day, we conducted 900 tests, with about 25 per cent positivity. We are working double shifts to ensure that results are given on time. If we had more investments on the scale of a national programme, the situation would have been different.”

Director of Dr Dang’s diagnostics Dr Navin Dang said, “We do only 30-40 tests a day and give results the same day. Considering the high quality primers we use and after following protocols set by the Centre for Disease Control, there is no way to bring down costs.”

The last meeting on regulating prices for swine flu tests in private laboratories was held in 2009 under former health minister Dr Kiran Walia. Laboratories were asked to charge not more than Rs 10,000 for every test.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said he would soon conduct a meeting to regulate prices.

“We heard of a few private laboratories charging a very inhibitory cost. Private hospitals are overcharging for Tamiflu. We will call a meeting of all laboratories and private hospitals to regulate prices. No one should take advantage of the panic situation,” Jain said.

The minister said government hospitals have been asked to “double their stocks of Tamiflu”.

“There was shortage of testing kits and medicines. We have directed all government hospitals to double their stocks of Tamiflu,” he said.

Some private hospitals, such as Sir Ganga Ram hospital, were authorised last week week to conduct tests and are already conducting 20-25 tests per day. Of these, 30-40 per cent have been positive.

Vaccine demand on rise, major firm destroys expired stock

By: Express News Service

Even though the Health Ministry has recommended vaccination against the H1N1 virus for its healthcare workers, and several doctors have also advised the vaccine, one of the major manufacturers in the country said they had to destroy a large number of vials of the flu vaccine recently for “lack of demand”.

The vaccine costs Rs 300-500 and gives annual protection from the three common influenza strains including the H1N1 virus.

Adar Poonawalla CEO of Serum Institute of India Ltd said, “There are very few people in India who take the vaccine even though the seasonal flu, which includes the H1N1 strain, has now become an annual cycle. Unfortunately, just when we destroyed our expired stock, there has been a sharp spike in demand for the vaccine. We have scarce amounts left and though we have ordered more batches, it will take time.” It takes 7-14 days to develop immunity after taking the vaccine.