Whenever there is an epidemics outbreak, the health apparatus is put to the test. Most of the burden in tackling epidemics falls on the State since a majority of the population flock to the Government Hospitals and Primary Health Centres as not many can afford the huge costs of hospitalisation in private sector.
While the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza or the bird flu in the neighbouring State poses little risk to men, since it does not easily infect human beings, the State Health Department has put all PHCs on Kerala border on alert. As it is a virus-borne disease, it can spread quickly and infect a lot of people in a short time.
Coimbatore is no stranger to epidemic outbreaks. Right from Swine Flu to dengue and diarrhoea, the city has seen it all since it’s a major transmit point and also has an international airport.
S. Somasundaram, Deputy Director of Health Services, says while prevention measures are given importance, the department has also protocols in place to contain outbreaks. The foremost priority was identifying the source of the outbreak such as mosquito breeding points for dengue. These will be destroyed and awareness programme will be taken up among the public. The health department has put in place protocols for all diseases, he adds.
Coimbatore Medical College Hospital has created an isolation ward to treat epidemic outbreaks patients. Further, another infectious disease ward has been created to quarantine patients with deadle disease such as Ebola, says the hospital Dean S. Revwathy.
The bio-technology and microbiology laboratories of the CMCH were equipped to detect most of the viral-borne disease. However, complicated cases such as ebola are sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for confirmation, she adds.
Drug Control Department also keeps a close watch for epidemic outbreaks. The stocks in pharmacies are monitored on a monthly basis, according to a senior official.
All pharmacies are instructed to stock up anti-biotic and anti-inflammatory drugs between October and June. Further, in case of epidemic, the Department liaises with the stockists of major pharmaceutical companies and ask them to redirect their stocks to places where the demand was higher.
