To step up monitoring, officers sent to districts hit by swine flu

JAIPUR: Health minister, quite concerned over the increasing cases of swine flu positive and deaths, has directed to send district in-charge officers immediately to most affected districts.

Reviewing the situation of swine flu at secretariat on Saturday, he instructed to send in-charge officers to five districts Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Barmer and Bikaner for intensive monitoring of prevention activities, treatment facilities and door-to-door screening.

It is to be mentioned that total 2,793 cases of swine flu positive a nd 1 0 0 d e a t h s h a v e b e e n reported across the state from January 1 to February 8.

The worst affected five districts are Jaipur with 1,140 positive cases and four deaths; Jodhpur with 385 cases and 28 deaths; Barmer with 177 cases and seven deaths; Udaipur with 167 cases and seven deaths and Bikaner with 141 cases and eight deaths.

Total 61 people were tested swine flu positive on Saturday and five people died.

Dr Ravi Mathur has been deployed as in-charge officer for Jaipur district, while Dr Sunil Singh for Jodhpur district, Dr Girish Trivedi for Udaipur district, Dr Sualal for Barmer and Dr Rajendra Mittal for Bikaner. All these officers have been directed to reach their districts concerned by Sunday and set coordination with the activities.

Sharma getting strict on officers failing to stop spreading of swine flu on Saturday transferred Dr Ravi Prakash Mathur, who was additional director (rural health) and monitoring swine flu. Now Dr Ravi Prakash Sharma has been appointed as additi onal di r ect or ( r ural health) to monitor swine flu. Dr Mathur has been posted as additional director (hospital administration).

Out of the worst hit five dis- tricts, swine flu testing facility is available at medical colleges in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Bikaner, while minister has directed to provide the testing f acility in Barmer within a week. Pri v a t e laboratory Krishna Lab has been asked to provide t he t esting f acility within six days.

Sharma has directed t he in-charge officers of the five districts to effectively monitor door-to-door screening and asked the officers to inform about swine flu at all the schools during the prayer meet.

The o f f i c e r s h a v e b e e n directed to collect information from the students if any of their family members have symptoms of swine flu and immediately get the special screening done of the family members as per the information.

I t has been asked t o t ake active help of anganwari workers and accredited social health activists (ASHAS) for prevention of swine flu.