Telangana goes all out to tackle swine flu

Centre rushes three-member team, 19 deaths reported so far

The Telangana government today announced a slew of measures to control and treat swine flu cases in the state, which has been the worst hit by the pandemic in the country this time around.

So far, 19 swine flu-related deaths had been reported in the state even as all the major hospitals in the city are receiving dozens of fresh cases of suspected swine flu-infected patients every day.

Alarmed with the situation, the state government has declared free treatment across all private corporate hospitals by bringing the viral infection under the government-sponsored health insurance programme.

Meanwhile, the Centre has promptly responded to the request of the state by promising to rush a three-member team to assist in tackling the viral contagion. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who held a special Cabinet meeting this evening on ways to tackle the problem, spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the morning seeking Centre’s help in this regard.

The state government had requested the Centre to also arrange for medicines and diagnostic kits apart from sending medical experts. Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who hails from Hyderabad city, told reporters he had been in touch with Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda as well as the state chief minister to ensure all possible support to jointly tackle this medical emergency.

The state government had deputed one senior IAS officer to each district and five officers to the Hyderabad city as nodal officers to coordinate the efforts initiated to tackle the problem, including providing adequate medical help to treat the patients.

The government appealed to the people to stay indoors as far as possible since the cold, the prime cause for the continued proliferation of the swine flu virus, is expected to continue for 20 more days across Telangana.

The chief minister, however, said the situation was fully under control and there was no need to declare holidays for schools. He also held a meeting with the corporate hospitals to make elaborate arrangements for treating the patients.