Srinagar: The primer doctors body of Kashmir Friday said the recent sudden spurt of swine flu (H1N1) cases across the country and with more than 30 suspected cases in Kashmir is alarming.
In a statement Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) while quoting its president, said: Some throat samples have shown genetic mutations and possibly because of this change in the virus death rate has increased.
The two designated hospitals for H1N1 do not have the facility of mandatory negative pressure isolation wards and logistics, the DAK spokesman quoted the president Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan as having said. H1N1 patients in SMHS and SKIMS are kept with other patients who come for cure to these hospitals but contract the deadly virus instead. Doctors and other hospital staff are not provided with personal protection equipments while dealing with H1N1 patients thus putting them at risk of contracting the virus, he said.
Tamiflu ( Oseltamivir) the only life saving drug for treatment and prophylaxis of H1N1 is not available in our hospitals which is criminal.There are no H1N1 vaccines which are to be given to high risk persons with diabetes, elderly, children below 5 years, pregnant, chronic diseases, immune compromised and healthcare workers as the virus can be fatal in them, Nisar, according to spokesman, said.
He said: The designated laboratory for testing at SKIMS does not have the desired Biosafety-3 level for handling and processing H1N1 samples which is dangerous to staff and community. No sensitization and awareness programmes are conducted in hospitals with the result majority of H1N1 patients are overlooked.
Quoting Nisar, the spokesman added: Public is deceived by statements made by some health officials while the fact of the matter is that hospitals in the valley are not prepared to combat any H1N1 outbreak.
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