Confusion over Raj governor’s swine flu test
JAIPUR: The spotlight was back on H1N1 flu (commonly called swine flu) and the quality of healthcare in Rajasthan after a government hospital in the western state wrongly tested its first citizen positive for the viral infection.
A subsequent test on governor Kalyan Singh in New Delhi came up with a negative result. After an uproar in the assembly and a nudge from Raj Bhawan, the state government formed a three-member committee to find out how the hospital tested Singh positive.
Health minister Kalicharan Saraf however, told the House, “we again got the swab sample tested at the SMS Hospital, which confirmed he is swine flu positive,” PTI reported.
After the positive test by the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College on Sunday, governor Kalyan Singh was rushed to New Delhi, where a test by Indrapastha Apollo Hospitals gave a negative result.
Rajasthan is the worst-hit state in India, accounting for 83% of total H1N1 flu cases and 86 deaths till February 18, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, which collates national data. State capital Jaipur has confirmed 698 cases and 30 deaths over the past two months . Saraf said the panel comprising Dr US Agarwal SMS medical college principal, medical education secretary Dr Anand Sharma and head of Microbiology department at SMS Hospital, Dr RC Maheshwari, would give its report in three days.
Earlier, the governor’s secretariat expressed its dismay and said it had taken serious note of the investigation report submitted by SMS Hospital and asked for a highlevel inquiry to probe in what circumstances the hospital had given a positive report.
It said the governor was suffering from cold and cough and SMS hospital doctors took samples for testing on Sunday. After a positive test, he was flown to New Delhi in a special aircraft; a second test at Apollo Hospital came up with a negative result and the governor was discharged.
Dr US Agarwal said that his doctors had taken 10 samples of which 8 had tested negative and two, a low positive. Dr Agarwal said the samples were tested again on Monday morning and showed low positive.
Meanwhile, the statement from the governor’s office said Singh was well and was in Delhi from where he would be proceeding to Aligarh on March 6 for his granddaughter’s wedding.