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| Amid swine flu deaths in J&K, Jammu caught napping | | |
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 15: Even as at least 12 persons have died to the deadly swine flu in the recent past in Kashmir, the administration in Jammu seems to be sleeping on the threat in the winter capital region.
Officials said apart from lack of awareness about the deadly flu, the hospitals are not fully-prepared to face any such eventuality in Jammu.
A senior medico told Early Times that Jammu was "more vulnerable" to the swine flu given the footfall of the visitors from other states as also the rail connectivity.
But despite being more vulnerable and having witnessed several deaths due to swine flu in the previous years, the government is allegedly callous towards lives of people in Jammu region.
Interestingly one of those patients, who recently died due to Swine Flu in Kashmir at the SK Institute of Medical Sciences Soura was also from Jammu.
Officials said on January 14, a 19-year-old boy from Jammu died of swine flu at SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, taking the death toll to 12 this season. A doctor at SKIMS said that the teenage boy, who was suffering from leukemia had also tested positive for H1N1 flu.
Official sources said the administration headed by Governor SP Malik is yet to hold any major meeting to review preparedness for the Swine Flu in Jammu.
Medical experts said as Jammu has no specialized facility like SKIMS in Kashmir, it was more of a responsibility on the part of the government to be extra-prepared to face any eventuality in the region.
A senior official said even the Government Medical College Jammu here was not fully prepared to treat Swine Flu cases.
"There are no specialized and fully-equipped wards as yet to treat such patients though in the last few years several patients died allegedly due to lack of proper facilities," said a senior medico on the condition of anonymity.
Officials said the health authorities would have been active had the Raj Bhawan shown such concern.
"Unless the Raj Bhawan pulls up the Health Department in Jammu and Kashmir not much is going to happen," said a senior official on the condition of anonymity.
When contacted a senior official in the Civil Secretariat said the matter has come to their notice.
"Swine Flu is a major concern and the government is active on it," the official said. |
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