Latest news with #InfluenzaH1N1
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Strengthen RBSK to provide better care for children: Mysuru ZP CEO
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer S. Yukesh Kumar has directed officials to strengthen the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) and ensure better medical care for children of Anganwadis and schools who are suffering from health issues. At a district-level review meeting of national health programmes, Mr. Kumar instructed officials to conduct regular health screenings at schools and Anganwadis to identify diseases at an early stage and provide timely treatment. 'Children with heart ailments must be provided with specialised treatment and surgeries at superspecialty hospitals to help reduce infant mortality,' he said. Mr. Kumar said that follow-up and completion of treatment for children referred for further care must be ensured and called for necessary action based on reports from the district-level technical expert committee in cases of maternal and infant deaths to identify lapses and initiate action against those responsible. He instructed officials to achieve 100% targets under the Kayakalpa scheme in the financial year 2025-26, and directed all health centres to reach 100% progress in the next three months. Mr. Kumar stressed the importance of strict biomedical waste disposal at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs as per government guidelines and added that cases of Covid-19, Influenza H1N1, dog bites, and snake bites must be mandatorily reviewed with appropriate action taken. He directed officials to bring down the TB death rate to below 5%, expedite leprosy surveys, and report all suspected cases immediately. Mr. Kumar instructed that Manochaitanya counselling centres should operate every Tuesday, and photos of activities should be filed for documentation. Officials from District Health and Family Welfare Departments, including RCH officers, TB control officers, leprosy eradication officers, vector-borne disease control officers, surveillance officers, and taluk medical officers attended the meeting.
Express Tribune
17-02-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
H1N1 influenza cases surge in metropolis
KARACHI: Respiratory diseases are seeing an alarming rise in the city, with the majority of cases being reported as Influenza H1N1. Medical experts have advised citizens to wear masks. An emergency department doctor at Jinnah Hospital Dr Irfan Siddiqui has said that the vaccine against H1N1 influenza is not available at Jinnah Hospital, causing difficulties for patients. He mentioned that both OPD and emergency departments at the hospital are receiving increasing number of patients with Influenza H1N1. However, the government has not yet provided vaccines, which are typically imported from abroad. Consequently, the patients are forced to buy them at their own expense. According to Dr Siddiqui, a separate ward for H1N1 influenza virus has not been set up, as it is not currently considered a high-risk disease. However, patients with pre-existing life-threatening conditions who contract H1N1 may require admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for close monitoring and treatment. Influenza H1N1 disproportionately affects children under five years of age, adults over 65 years old, and pregnant women. If left untreated, this disease can spread rapidly within these groups and potentially develop into pneumonia. Dr Irfan urged citizens to take precautionary measures and seek timely treatment, maintaining that it is crucial for people to adopt preventive measures and get treated promptly. On the other hand, an expert in infectious diseases Professor Saeed Khan, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that respiratory diseases increase during the winter season. There are four main types of influenza, with A and B being the most common, and various subtypes. Monitoring has revealed that the majority of reported cases are of the H1N1 subtype of Influenza A. Professor Saeed emphasised that the influenza vaccine is available to safeguard against the disease, and getting vaccinated on time can effectively prevent it. He stressed the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of influenza. According to the data released by the Sindh Health Department, 248 cases of respiratory diseases have been reported in Karachi in the first one and a half month of the year, with 119 positive cases of H1N1. The Sindh Health Department has issued a letter regarding H1N1, directing hospital administrations to ensure the provision of protective kits to staff, and to take precautions such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance.
