Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao cracked the whip on Director of Health R. Sambasiva Rao by transferring him for poor handling of swine flu cases in Telangana and visited the mental and chest hospitals at Erragadda here on Thursday evening for first-hand information about the dreaded disease.
The Director of Family Welfare Jyothi Buddha Prakash was given additional charge of the post held by Dr. Sambasiva Rao, who will go back to his parent department.
In the morning, the Chief Minister discussed the spread of swine flu with health officials when the decision to transfer Dr. Sambasiva Rao was taken. Mr. Rao asked them to keep the government hospitals hygienic and clean. Later in the evening, he inspected facilities at the mental and chest hospitals.
On the other hand, the three-member team of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that visited Gandhi Hospital to study flu cases could not meet Mr. Rao on Thursday. Their meeting with Mr. Rao was rescheduled for Friday noon.
The team will also visit hospitals in the areas surrounding Hyderabad.
Transport Minister P. Mahender Reddy held a meeting with officials at Ranga Reddy district Collectorate ahead of their visit. Mr. Reddy asked officials to start awareness programmes about swine flu for school teachers and students.
