Gujarat lacks infra to contain swine flu: Global Hygiene Council

Ahmedabad: Gujarat lacks proper health infrastructure to contain number of deaths due to swine flu, which has claimed over 150 lives across the state during this season, according to the India representative of Global Hygiene Council. “Lack of awareness and also lack of enough facilities like isolation wards, ventilators are likely to be responsible for the high death toll in swine flu cases in Gujarat,” said Global Hygiene Concil-India Representative Dr Narendra Saini in an interaction with the media in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_693905” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representative image. PTI[/caption] “Though globally swine flu has reached the post-pandemic level, India has witnessed a rise in swine flu (H1N1) cases and Gujarat is among the few states in the country where number of swine flu cases are significantly rising,” he said. According to Saini, 834 cases of swine flu have been registered in Delhi whereas in Gujarat there are 816, Rajasthan has 564 and Haryana has 305 cases during this season. “But compared to Delhi, which reported only 16 deaths of swine flu, in Gujarat this number is 158,” he added. “Inspite of being touted as “progressive and developed”, Gujarat has witnessed higher number of deaths due to swine flu and this is not a good scenario.” Similar views were also expressed by the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday, when Justice Anant Dave, while reacting to a report submitted by the state health commissioner, expressed dissatisfaction on the overall situation of health facilities and infrastructure in the backdrop of a rise in flu cases. “On paper it seems everything is perfect, but it clearly shows that there is a lack of proper health facilities and infrastructure in the rural areas and more particularly in tribal areas,” he observed following a report submitted by the state government on steps it has taken to contain the spread of the viral disease. Saini was in the city to address a work shop on ‘infection control and good hygiene practices’ which has been organised through out the country with an aim to minimise the impact of the recent spread of swine flu. He strongly recommended the adoption of good hand hygiene practices to avoid contraction of flu and viral infections. “Human body is quite vulnerable to infections during every season, especially during the on-going change in season which leaves us very prone to various infections. Good hand hygiene is the first line of defence against spread of not only flu, but many illnesses,” he advised. PTI