WHO has declared swine flu as a global panademic some days back. The challenges for a country like India are more tough than any other developed country for such kind of flu which can spread fast.
Phase 6 is WHO's highest alert level and means that a swine flu pandemic is under way but there is no need to panic as most cases are mild and require no treatment. No mutations have been detected in the virus to show it is getting more deadly, so the fear is that new infections could overwhelm hospitals and health authorities, especially in poorer countries. And here comes our challenge ... how can India handle such panademic?
So you must have been hearing news on TV which says India has opened up new laboratories to test for the virus among suspected people. And you must have heard about people having the virus literally running out of the hospital in New Delhi! I have a question to ask to the person (and his family) who ran out of the hospital. What the .... he thinks of himself? Does he know the dire consequences and the threat he is to the public in general? Shouldn't he be punished after he is recovered? In my view, he should be punished for causing threat to the Indian people by literally being a human bomb. Why? Come on, we are a country of more than a billion people. The spread of such virus won't take days in a country like India & given the preparations of the Indian Government to handle this situation, we are more susceptible to being exposed to this deadly virus.
And what about a helpline being set up for this virus? Well there is one! As reported by a leading Indian daily newspaper, "While the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) authorities were quick to give a control room number to disseminate information on swine flu, they forgot to ensure that the staff manning the calls had adequate information about the deadly virus. A call to the number got a cheerful response of “NICD outbreak control room”, but little else. When asked about the flu, the official just provided the phone number of a doctor “who would have all the information”.
But if you still want to give it a try, give a call to the number 011 – 23921401 which is set up by NICD and you will realize what I meant! Also do try their website www.nicd.org. Am sure you will be as disappointed as I am this moment.
The screening of passengers is being done religiously at airports but having heard a news of an American passengers being able to make it through with his pistol on a domestic Indian flight, I have some doubts in the screening efficiency as well :(
I hope our new Health Minister is aware that we are a country of a Billion people & at a greater risk with this panademic!
Baba