Alarmed over mounting swine flu cases in Telangana, the state government
Wednesday swung into action and sought help from the central
government, which agreed to send a high-level medical team, medicines
and diagnostic kits.
After holding a series of review meetings
with health officials and an emergency cabinet meeting, Chief Minister
K. Chandrasekhar Rao Wednesday evening told reporters that the situation
was totally under control and there was no need for panic.
He, however, said the administration should be alert to tackle the situation and appealed to people to take all precautions.
The
chief minister, who spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union
Health Minister J.P. Nadda over phone in the morning, said they assured
all assistance to the state.
The central government is sending a
high-level medical team to review the situation. It is also dispatching
50,000 tablets, 10,000 bottles of syrup and testing kits.
With
five deaths and about 50 new cases reported Tuesday, the chief minister
began the day with a call to Modi, seeking his help to tide over the
situation.
Telangana Health Secretary Suresh Chanda has rushed to New Delhi to brief the union health ministry.
KCR,
as the chief minister is popularly known, voiced unhappiness over the
performance of the health department. He felt that health authorities
remained unmoved despite the increasing number of cases.
Declaring
an all out war on swine flu, he said the virus has so far claimed 19
lives in the state. He, however, said there was no need for panic as
people can prevent it by keeping their surroundings clean and also by
focusing on personal hygiene.
The chief minister said those
having swine flu symptoms should immediately approach the nearest
hospital and should avoid moving in public places to prevent its spread.
As
the cold weather conditions are likely to continue for 20 more days,
KCR said there was a need for the authorities to remain on alert to
check the spread of H1N1 virus and create public awareness on the
preventive measures.
The chief minister constituted a high-level
committee comprising health secretary, director of medical education,
director of health and other officials to monitor the situation.
KCR
appointed one senior IAS official as the nodal officer for each
district to review the situation. Five officials have been appointed for
Greater Hyderabad.
He directed officials to make medicines
available at government-run hospitals in all districts. Institute of
Preventive Medicine (IPM) will set up a laboratory in each district for
testing the blood samples.
Government-run Gandhi, Osmania,
Niloufer and Fever hospitals in Hyderabad already have isolation wards
and they will be further strengthened.
The government also
decided to bring treatment of swine flu under Arogyasri scheme, under
which poor are provided free medical services. The chief minister also
appealed to corporate hospitals to provide free treatment to the
affected.
