A preliminary analysis of the swine flu outbreak and the high mortality in Rajasthan and Gujarat begs the question whether these States were slow in disseminating information about symptoms of the flu and screening of patients.
As per the data collated by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Delhi has reported 1,679 swine flu cases with six deaths and Karnataka 349 cases with 24 deaths, but Rajasthan is the worst-affected State with 3,302 cases and 183 deaths, followed by Gujarat with 1,936 cases and 155 deaths between January 1 and February 17.
Though Union Health Ministry officials said it was too early to comment on the response of these States to the outbreak, they admitted that States like Delhi have handled the situation efficiently.
“The system of creating awareness through advertisements, hoardings and at health centres was good in Delhi; the city also has good tertiary care facilities. These factors have helped it control the spread of the flu and also keep the mortality low,” said an official.
With health officials in Rajasthan and Gujarat reporting that the patients who succumbed to the flu came in at a much advanced stage of infection, the Centre is now investigating whether these States slipped in carrying out the instructions for creating awareness of the flu.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken steps to increase the retail availability of oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu). Drug controllers of all States have been asked to provide the updated list of Schedule X licensees for uploading on the CDSCO website.
