Swine flu: Hyderabad private hospitals have isolation wards

A day after Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrasekar Rao sought help from Centre, a three-member medical team arrived in the city to assess swine flu situation.

The team visited state-run Gandhi hospital, inspected the isolation wards where patients are being treated. Additional Director General of Health Ashok Kumar heading the team expressed satisfaction and assured Centre’s assistance to deal with the rising number of swine flu cases. He also applauded the measures taken by the state government and advised people not to panic. But sources at Gandhi hospital indicated that the team was unhappy with poor hygiene conditions and surroundings of the hospital not well maintained.

Two more succumb to H1N1 virus taking the death toll to 21 as of Thursday. Gandhi hospital sources indicated that 34 confirmed cases of swine flu and 5 suspected cases are being provided medical assistance round the clock.

While the Chief Minister asked private hospitals in the city to stop the practice of referring swine flu cases to government hospitals, nothing seems to have changed on the ground. Unwilling to be held responsible for patients deaths, private hospitals in the city are continuing to refer patients, stating lack of equipment even after orders from the state head. A few private hospitals, have an isolation ward where they are admitting patients with swine flu symptoms, their samples are being collected and sent to Institute of Preventive Medicine(IPM), nodal centre for testing of swine flu. If the patient is tested positive, depending on their condition(mild or severe) they are being treated further or transferred to state-run hospitals if critical.

By Navatha