First H1N1 death in Himachal; docs sat on test result for a day

Guddi Devi,a resident of Janjheli in Mandi,was admitted to the IGMC on December 3.

She was under treatment for pneumonia and when she did not respond to the treatment for two days,doctors recommended a swine flu test.

Significantly,though she tested positive on Sunday,the hospital administration and the health authorities did not reveal her status and she continued to remain at the ICU of the medicine department,where five more patients were also undergoing treatment.

Against the usual practice adopted in swine flu cases,she was not shifted to the isolation ward and no precaution was taken to separate her from other patients.

Following her death,panic spread in the hospital and patients and their attendants rushed to procure precautionary masks and Tamiflu medicines on their own. Attendants of Guddi and other patients admitted in the ICU alleged that the doctors did not prescribe them precautionary medicines.

IGMC Medical Superintendent,Dr Ramesh Chand,said,“The hospital has enough supplies of N-95 masks and Tamiflu medicines. Precautionary treatment of the patients and their attendants has begun.”

The IGMC today called an emergency meeting of the staff and doctors and asked the health directorate to supply more masks and Tamiflu medicines.

Dr Vinod Mehta,surveillance officer of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project,said,“There is no need to panic as the state has enough arrangements to deal with the disease. There are more chances of it spreading during the winters so people should also take precautions.”

He admitted that it was unfortunate that treatment of other patients and their attendants did not start on time.

During the last four days three patients tested positive at the IGMC,of whom one died today.