Some unfortunate and tragic deaths and we suddenly find our selves staring at a monster called Swine Flu. Till just few days back swine flu was being considered as an imported disease and only people going abroad were supposed to be wary of it. But today it has become a national menace and every body who has any contact with any form of media and newspaper is worried and confused. Now people are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping that neither they nor any of their family members get infected with it. Suddenly this foreign menace has become our own problem or should we say ‘saddi national problem’.
Many times we have read or heard about an incident changing the course of history or the history of a nation? These deaths may not change the history but certainly it helped us in changing our outlook at a problem staring at us. Now, the important question is why some body has to die for entire nation to sit up and take notice? Was there any possibility that these people would have been saved? Are only those private hospitals responsible for these deaths or failure of the system was also responsible? Well these are some questions that come to mind at the first instance.
Yes, there is a possibility that these people could have been saved, if only the government had shown some foresight by learning best practices from other affected countries rather than reinventing the wheel in most slow and tardy manner. Also the socialist mindset of health ministry made things worse by restricting screening and treatment to only government hospitals. Both, the state and central governments have not said anything on these deaths and this silence from the government is deafening and is an admission of its guilt.
Above mentioned actions and inactions are just not the only lapses by the government. There are many others too.
First Lapse from the government is in its inability, in ensuring people suffering from swine flu don’t enter the country with out proper screening and treatment. This is so because screening at international airports is inadequate and lack of follow up on the health of people returning from countries affected by swine flu. This has allowed this disease to enter in this country.
Second lapse by the government is its inability in informing people about the symptoms of this disease and other do’s and don’ts. How many of us are aware that only 0.5% – 1% is the range in which infected people have died? So this disease is not that deadly as it is being made out to be and certainly every affected person could be saved if timely treatment is imparted.
Third lapse is inadequate swine flu treatment and test centres. To start with, only 18 centers for treatment for the population of 1.1 billion, that’s shameful and disgusting. It is now that the government has started expanding the network and has started including private hospitals in screening and treatment of swine flu. This clearly shows how much this government cares for the life of ‘aam admi’.
Fourth lapse is, till date no focused action group has been formed to monitor the spread of this disease and to come out with actionable recommendations to control the spread, effective screening and treatment process and distribution of the flu tablets called tamiflu. What stops government from setting up this action group under eminent doctors from government and private hospitals? After all these hospitals have a very important role in containing and eradicating this flu.
Fifth lapse is faulty process of screening and treatment. An article in Times of India dated 10/08/09 clearly shows how America was able to control this epidemic. The difference between the Indian and American protocol on testing and treatment of Swine flu is very different. While in U.S.A. any patients coming with symptoms of influenza are subjected to rapid test of nasal swab to establish whether the virus is influenza A or influenza B family. The result of tests are available with in few hours and if the patient is found to be suffering from influenza then immediately the patient is put on Tami flu and the sample is further sent to H1N1 molecular diagnostic test.
But in India, first doctor has to be convinced that the patient could be suffering from H1N1 by virtue of his travel history or his contact with flu affected people, then samples of throat swab are taken directly to confirm H1N1. As it is a time consuming test hence it takes a day for result to confirm H1N1 and only then Tami flu is administered and it is this extra time to start the medication which is responsible for worsening of the condition of the patient resulting in death in some cases.
What is the reason for such a lackluster and indifferent attitude of the government? The reason is the people who run it, namely Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mr. Dinesh Trivedi. Though they both are at center but their hearts and minds are still in their respective states. While Mr. Azad is still carrying a hope to become Chief Minister of J.K. on other hand Mr. Dinesh Trivedi’s priority is clearly West Bengal and forth coming vidhan sabha elections there. So the entire show in health ministry is being run by good for nothing bureaucrats of health ministry who would be more concerned with making some extra bucks by procuring and distributing Tamiflu and accrediting private hospitals for treatment of swineflu.
The only saving grace has been that this flu has not spread into much of the interiors. It is mostly confined to metros and cities barring few towns in Punjab and Maharashtra. Still rural India is unaffected largely and till the time it remains so, it is good for this country. If this flu reaches rural India then this will become full blown epidemic with out any probability of controlling it in near future.
Few days back in one of the discussions on Swine flu at a news channel Minister of state for Health Mr. Dinesh Trivedi was patting his back for wonderful job done by his ministry I containing the Flu. After these deaths and worsening situation will he still pat his back? Or will he wake up and take notice of the real situation and act accordingly.
So it is now upon each individual that how and what they do to protect themselves and their families from this flu. Let’s take all the necessary precautions and keep our fingers crossed and pray to God to save us from swine flu because this government is not capable of saving us.
What if some body says this flu was allowed to take monstrous proportion deliberately so that in the name of fighting an epidemic large funds could be withdrawn and in the name of exigency, tablets and testing machines could be procured at higher rates hence allowing various quarters involved could pocket some hefty amount. After all politicians and bureaucrats are known to make money form the death of people.
This may sound absurd but are we sure it’s completely absurd?
