Private hospitals with proper infra can treat H1N1 cases: Maha

Mumbai, Aug 10 (PTI) In a move to allow private hospitals
to treat swine flu patients, Maharashtra government on Monday
asked such hospitals in the city to inform by Tuesday evening
whether they have isolation wards with appropriate
infrastructure as per World Health Organisation (WHO) norms
for handling the cases.

State health officials and Chief Secretary Johny Joseph
met chief executive officers of 19 private hospitals and told
them that to open an isolation ward for handling H1N1 cases,
the wards should have facilities like dedicated medical staff,
separate air-conditioning and at least two ventilators.

"If they agreed to have the ward with these conditions,
they have to reply by tomorrow evening 5 PM," Joseph told
reporters here.

The hospitals included Jaslok, Bombay Hospital Breach
Candy, Lilavati, Wockhardt, Brahmakumari and Hinduja.

In the wake of four H1N1 fatalities in Maharashtra, there
has been a rush among public for screening, he said, adding
327 positive cases have been detected and 51 cases admitted to
hospitals in Mumbai and Pune.

Therefore, to ease long queues and avoid large crowd at a
particular place, the government has opened six more centres
today --- Cooper Hospital, VN Desai Hospital, S K Patil
Hospital, Baba Hospital in Kurla, Shatabdi Hospital and
Kannamvarnagar Hospital.

This is in addition to the existing six centres, Joseph
said.

"If the private hospitals come forward, then the burden
on government hospitals will be reduced. In Monday's meeting,
Prince Ali Khan Hospital has committed to have a 10-bedded
ward," the chief secretary said.

A total of 23,110 people were screened out of which 949
were admitted to hospitals. In Mumbai alone, 2,012 people were
screened, 195 people were admitted to hospitals out of which
143 were discharged, Joseph said.

Currently, 68 patients are admitted in Mumbai -- 61 in
Kasturba Hospital, three in Siddharth Hospital, two in M T
Agarwal Hospital and two in private L H Hiranandani Hospital,
he said.

Health Secretary Sharvaree Gokhale said there was no
shortage of Tamiflu tablets and while screening the patients,
those who give their swab for testing are immediately given
Tamiflu tablets as prophylaxis without waiting for the test
results.

Screening is very important as it has been observed in
those cases which were succumbed to the virus infection that
they got a delayed treatment due to late detection, Gokhale
said. PTI LV
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