SARS: Plans sputter but Govt breathes easy

Non alarmistic attitude’’ is the phrase officials at the Ministry of Health are using to describe how they are going about combati...

Non alarmistic attitude’’ is the phrase officials at the Ministry of Health are using to describe how they are going about combating the threat of the SARS virus. Reason: ‘‘They don’t want to create undue panic’’. Logic: ‘‘It has not yet been reported in the country.’’

In the same breath, the Ministry also claims, that it is ‘‘adequately equipped for handling any outbreak in the country’’. The hurriedly held press conference at Nirman Bhavan today, however, only underlined the complacency among health officials.

Who is where?

• DG, Health Services: Busy with faculty interviews at AIIMS has never spoken to the press.
• DG, ICMR: Currently out of Delhi.
• Director, AIIMS: Not available because of faculty interviews again.
• Head of Medicine and expert of respiratory disease: Out of the country.

This in spite of the fact that Australia and Belgium are the new entrants in the list of countries affected with the deadly disease. About 1,804 cases and 64 deaths have been reported worldwide.

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The officials claimed to have sensitised people regarding SARS and said the hospitals have been asked to gear up. They also said adequate measures are being taken to prevent spread of the disease through air traffic.

According to them, hospitals have been asked to treat all patients who show symptoms of the disease and have visited the affected countries as ‘‘possible cases’’ and give barrier treatment.‘‘The doctors have been asked to exercise barrier nursing which means completely disinfect themselves before attending other patients,’’ said Dr Shiv Lal, Director of National Institute of Communicable Diseases.

However, the facts seemed contrary to the claims. The Ministry is yet to put in practice what they had promised. The much publicised proforma for the traveller disembarking from the affected countries has not yet been finalised. ‘‘The airport authorities are giving some proforma unofficially to the travellers with their disembarking card. The proforma might come into force from tomorrow,’’ said Bhavani Thayagrajan, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health.

The supposed request for supply of 20 to 25 diagnostic kits to the World Health Organisation is yet to be made. ‘‘The bug is yet to be identified with certainty but some diagnostic kit has been devised in Germany. We are talking to the Director General ICMR and are likely to make a request soon,’’ said Dr Lal.

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The government had promised to procure the recently developed diagnostic kit to tackle the confirmed presence of SARS virus, if any probable case is reported. The kits are likely to be provided to National Institute of Virology Pune and NICD in the Capital.

Calling the questions about the treatment hypothetical Dr Lal said.‘‘Through out the world the treatment is according to the symptoms. No confirmatory test are being conducted anywhere,’’ he said.

Speaking to The Indian Express the airport authorities however said that the Health Officer has sensitised the immigration staff and a DGHS doctor has been specifically asked to provide services at the airport.

“When he was given the topic of the Opposition, he spoke. There is no prohibition in that, but I will definitely make some corrections in his topics…,” Yadav said.

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