HC seeks to know steps taken by Guj govt against swine flu

The Gujarat High Court today sought response from the state government and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on measures being taken to prevent the spread of swine flu, which has killed over 200 people in the state this year.
A division bench of justices M R Shah and B N Karia expressed displeasure over the loss of lives and asked the government to ensure quality treatment to patients. It asked the government and the AMC to file their replies by August 21.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by Mensavi Thapar, seeking direction to the government to take necessary steps to provide facilities for the diagnosis of the disease and treatment of H1N1 patients as well as compensation to the victims.

Highlighting the deaths caused due to swine flu in the state apart from other vector-borne diseases, the PIL said the government machinery is not equipped to fight the diseases, leading to high number of casualties.
The PIL said that the first swine flu case was detected in 2009, but the state government has so far set up only laboratories for swine flu testing in only nine cities, when they should be set up in each district.
"The delay in diagnosing the disease becomes fatal and there is a rise in the number of deaths due to the same," it said.

The PIL also states that the post of health officer in AMC has been lying vacant since the last two years.