NMC hospitals not equipped to tackle swine flu

Despite the fact that swine-flu has gripped many schools in Pune and Mumbai and the fear of the

dreaded disease is hovering over the
city, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation is yet to stir from its slumber. The civic
body runs three well equipped major hospitals Indira Gandhi Rugnalaya at Gandhi Nagar, Pachpaoli Hospital and Isolation Hospital at Imamvada. However, not a single hospital has the facility or infrastructure to treat swine flue patients if the need arises.

NMC additional commissioner Vishnupad Bute told TOI, "The civic body has a good stock of the tamiflu tablets in case of an emergency. But we do not have any facility like special wards, even at the Isolation Hospital, to treat swine flue patients." Incidentally, the civic body spends lakhs of rupees each year for creating medical facilities for patients.

"We have a lot of space at the Isolation hospital. If the state government provide us manpower, machinery and latest equipments, we could set up a separate ward at our hospital," said Bute. Echoing a similar view was NMC deputy director (health) Dr Rajendra Pradhan who said, "We could create awareness among citizens using our resources, conduct health education programmes etc. Presently, there is no reason for people to panic. We are doing everything from our side and situation is totally under control in Nagpur."

Recently in a meeting, held under the chairmanship of Dr Pradhan, it was decided that along with a special ward in Government Medical College and Hospital another ward will be set up at Mayo Hospital. "A co-ordination committee under the chairmanship of district collector Pravin Darade has been set up to tackle the problem whenever it arises," Dr Pradhan said. "The district civil surgeon will be member-secretary of the committee while municipal commissioner, district health officers and other health officials will be its members."