Swine flu outbreak forces govt to mull epidemic mgmt system

Considering the severity of the swine flu epidemic, especially in Nagpur and Vidarbha, the state government is planning to develop a permanent ‘epidemic management system’ for the entire state for better handling of contagious diseases that can take an epidemic form. Government would also be releasing Rs23-25 crore within a week for better availability of medicine and treatment of swine flu patients.
The medical education minister Vinod Tawde, who was on his maiden visit to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) to take stock of how swine flu outbreak is being managed, told reporters on Thursday that state needed better preparedness for such epidemics. Tawde stated this was being done on the directives of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis after consultation with the health minister Dr Deepak Sawant, state medical education secretary Medha Gadgil and the Nagpur guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule who was also present at the GMCH during the visit. Fadnavis is ensuring that every week at least one minister and health and medical department officials visit Nagpur. This will continue even during the budget session.
Mostly swine flu patients reach medical colleges when their situation has worsened after taking treatment in private hospitals and hence the number of deaths is continuing to rise despite a good system being in place. Though the minister did not visit the swine flu ward personally, he said it had just five ventilators and promised to make provision for another ten within 2-3 days after purchasing through short tendering process.
Tawde also announced that a state-of-the-art diagnostic laboratory for epidemic diseases will be set up soon at GMCH. He also stressed on the need for a special isolation ward with 35-40 beds at GMCH. Most patients discontinue the medicine when they are discharged from hospital. Hence the administration is trying to keep the patients in hospital so long they are on medicine. Tawde called upon local leaders and MLAs to come forward to help handle the situation better.
The minister also promised to conduct audit of all patients who died due to swine flu to know the exact reason of death. This was needed to check whether the patients were misled and not given swine flu treatment in private hospitals. The state medical secretary Medha Gadgil, DMER director Dr Pravin Shinagre besides the deans of the two colleges, Dr A Niswade (GMCH) and Dr Prakash Wakode (IGGMC) and the OSD of Super Specialty Hospital Dr Manish Shirigiriwar were also present. Tawde also visited the IGGMC later.