Expected last week, swine flu test kits yet to arrive

Nagpur: The district health office is yet to receive swine flu test kits — which were expected to arrive last week — though the viral infection cases have surged past 260 this month. The toll for this year has increased to 10, with all of the patients succumbing to H1N1 in the July-August period.
Health authorities have now sought the help of elected representatives to push for the early release of kits for Nagpur division.
Deputy director of health services Dr Vinita Jain said they have requested forest and culture affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to help them get the kits on priority.
Civil surgeon Dr Madhuri Thorat said they were yet to receive the kits. “We shall once again follow up with the Pune office,” she said. The district is now banking on medical colleges and private labs for swine flu tests. While medical colleges have limited stock and are using them only on severe patients, private testing is a costly affair.
The medical colleges have been utilising the kits procured under different state funds for the patients. Doctors said that this being a public health matter, the public health department must provide support in testing and treatment, which is lacking.
However, random testing for swine flu is not prescribed. “Testing is done only in severe cases. Unless there are symptoms and patients need hospital admission, tests are not done as they are costly,” they said.
Meanwhile, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) continued proactive measures in containment of the infectious disease.
NMC health teams are visiting homes of new swine flu patients for close contact survey and spraying. Suspected flu patients are put under treatment.
NMC epidemic officer Dr Gowardhan Nawkhare said every cold and cough is not swine flu. “Citizens don’t need to panic but stay alert. If they have flu-like symptoms, they must isolate themselves. Office or school and meeting friends must be avoided in such illness. One must isolate even from other family members. Young population is at high risk in swine flu,” he said.