Health Ministry to issue guidelines on Swine Flu control

Amidst the fear of rising swine flu cases in the capital during the winters, the Union Health Ministry has decided to issue guidelines to the Delhi government on steps to curb, and control swine flu to aggravate like the dengue menace. Some of the steps highlighted include vaccination, infection control and standard treatment protocols, an official release by the Minister said.

The decision was conveyed by Union Health Minister JP Nadda during a meeting he had with his Delhi counterpart Satyendra Jain to review the preparedness in the capital for addressing and management of Influenza A H1N1 in the ensuing winter months.

Mr Nadda assured all support and cooperation to the Delhi government in its efforts, said a Health Ministry statement.

He emphasised that it was a joint effort between the central and Delhi governments to ensure adequate measures are undertaken by health departments of both for timely and adequate action to minimise morbidity and mortality due to Influenza A H1N1.

During the joint meeting it was decided that guidelines for vaccination against the disease, infection control and standard treatment protocols would be shared with the Delhi government, hospitals of both the governments are to ensure adequate stock of drug Oseltamivir and other consumables and the Delhi government would work out a mechanism to fix ceiling rate in a realistic manner for testing of Influenza A H1N1 samples to minimise out of pocket expenditure by the general public.

It was also decided that data on cases due to Influenza A H1N1 in both central and Delhi government hospitals would be shared along with the media plans of both governments.

Testing facilities would be started in AIIMS, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute and the National Institute of Malaria Research. These would be in addition to NCDC which is presently testing samples to diagnose Influenza A H1N1 in Delhi, the release added.