Govt asks hospitals to set up separate wards for swine flu

Maharashtra health minister Deepak Sawant has instructed government hospitals to set up separate wards for swine flu patients so that the infection doesn't spread.
Sawant has been visiting government hospitals in Mumbai for the last few days, holding discussions with staff and reviewing facilities. Complaints of overcrowding and shortage of staff at government hospitals are common.
The minister today visited Shatabdi hospital in suburban Kandivali.
"It seems that number of swine flu patients is rising and I have instructed hospitals to be ready to tackle it. If more than 100 patients approach any hospital with complaints of coughing, sore throat and cold, the doctors should wait for 24 hours and then start preventive medication for H1N1," Sawant said in a statement today.

A team of Union government officials had visited Mumbai in the last couple of days for a review of H1N1 infection situation, he said.
The state health ministry has decided to conduct workshops on H1N1 infection for private doctors so that they can have better coordination with government authorities on coming across a suspected swine flu case, he said.

Pregnant women and patients of diabetes and high blood pressure are most vulnerable to H1N1 infection, he noted, asking the hospitals to give priority to them if swine flu is suspected.
Since January this year, nearly 10 lakh people have been screened for swine flu across the state, of which 19,000 were given Tamiflu tablets for suspected infection.

As many 1,814 positive cases of swine flu were found, of which 263 patients died as of June 29, said Mukund Diggikar, joint director, health department.