CPI(M) demands urgent steps to tackle swine flu on war footing

Concerned over Centre's lack of "sufficient seriousness" in coordinating efforts to tackle swine flu, CPI(M) today demanded adequate funds to be deployed for public health care system and urgent steps be taken to tackle the disease on a "war footing".
The party's Central Committee which met here on March 21-22 said the Centre has also cut the health outlay in the Budget which will only worsen the public health system.
"The public health care system has failed miserably in dealing with the outbreak of the disease. The central government has not shown sufficient seriousness in coordinating the efforts to tackle the disease and extending support to the states," the party said in a statement.

The party expressed serious concern at the widespread outbreak of swine flu across the country in which nearly 2,000 people have died due to the disease and thousands of others have fallen ill, it said.
According to data collated by the Union Health Ministry, as on March 21, 1,911 people have died due to the contagious disease while the number of those affected across the country stood at 32,233.
"The central government has cut the health outlay in the Union Budget which will only worsen the public health system. The Central Committee demands adequate funds to be deployed for the public health care system and urgent steps to tackle swine flue on a war footing," the party said.

As per a Health Ministry study, 34 per cent of the 723 swine flu deaths that were analysed had occurred in the age group of 30-45 years, followed closely by those in the 45-60 bracket, who accounted for 32 per cent of the fatalities.
Health Minister J P Nadda had earlier said that his ministry has been monitoring the HINI outbreak situation and was maintaining a regular touch with the affected state governments.
Nadda had said in Parliament recently that the Centre has been assisting the affected states and Union Territories by providing logistic support for drugs, masks, personal protective equipment and vaccines.