Preparing for an impending danger
Sunday, 16 August 2009
THE Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has advised all government hospitals to prepare their outdoor patient wards for a potential influx of swine flu patients in the backdrop of a large-scale outbreak of the disease in neighbouring India for the last few days. In India, at least, 18 people have so far died of the disease, caused by a new H1N1 virus, the disease that was first detected in Mexico early this year. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate, it has so far claimed 1154 lives across the globe. Among the first victims of the disease in Mexico was a Bangladesh national. The WHO in June last declared the outbreak of swine flu to be a pandemic following the spread of the disease around the planet with an unprecedented speed. Most cases worldwide, however, have been usually mild and fatalities generally involved individuals who had other health problems such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease and weakened immune system.
Bangladesh is not immune to this highly contagious disease. The disease has made its entry into the country and the number of HIN1 virus-infected cases detected in the country until last Thursday was 36 with 31 of them making full recovery and the rest remaining under the surveillance of the IEDCR. Most of the victims contacted the virus overseas. The presence of the virus within and the large-scale outbreak of the disease in the neighbouring country have made the situation even riskier for Bangladesh, particularly when thousands of citizens of both the countries cross over through formal and informal border points everyday. So, the advice of the IECDR to BE prepared for any major outbreak of the disease in an over-populated country like Bangladesh is very much appropriate.
However, the act of dishing out advice to someone does not carry any meaning if such advice is not listened to and acted upon accordingly. All are aware of the pitiable state of the government hospitals, which are, generally, visited by the poor and low-income people. The government health facilities, including those attached to medical colleges, are incapable of ensuring even the minimum care and treatment to their patients because of non-availability of drugs, medical equipment, beds etc. One has reasons to doubt whether these hospitals would be able to handle any large-scale outbreak of swine flu in the country. Moreover, most doctors are not that familiar with the disease and its treatment. The IEDCR, reportedly, has been imparting training to the doctors of some major public hospitals in Dhaka. The government should also organise similar training for the doctors serving in public hospitals at the district headquarters and in large private hospitals and clinics in major cities and towns.
Since symptoms of the disease include fever with high temperature and respiratory troubles, there remains a possibility of considering it as normal cold flu. So, both the people in general and the doctors in particular need to be educated on the symptoms of swine flu and the preventive measures against the disease. The diagnostic centers should also be advised to acquire facilities for detecting the virus. The government without further delay must launch a mass campaign to make the population aware of the impending danger of swine flu. For, the disease, in the event of its large-scale outbreak, has the potential of disrupting normal life in cities and towns, including closure of schools, cinema houses and other places where people gather in large numbers. The authorities concerned, while making all-out preparations to face any eventuality, must also beef up screening of incoming passengers at all air and land ports.
Bangladesh is not immune to this highly contagious disease. The disease has made its entry into the country and the number of HIN1 virus-infected cases detected in the country until last Thursday was 36 with 31 of them making full recovery and the rest remaining under the surveillance of the IEDCR. Most of the victims contacted the virus overseas. The presence of the virus within and the large-scale outbreak of the disease in the neighbouring country have made the situation even riskier for Bangladesh, particularly when thousands of citizens of both the countries cross over through formal and informal border points everyday. So, the advice of the IECDR to BE prepared for any major outbreak of the disease in an over-populated country like Bangladesh is very much appropriate.
However, the act of dishing out advice to someone does not carry any meaning if such advice is not listened to and acted upon accordingly. All are aware of the pitiable state of the government hospitals, which are, generally, visited by the poor and low-income people. The government health facilities, including those attached to medical colleges, are incapable of ensuring even the minimum care and treatment to their patients because of non-availability of drugs, medical equipment, beds etc. One has reasons to doubt whether these hospitals would be able to handle any large-scale outbreak of swine flu in the country. Moreover, most doctors are not that familiar with the disease and its treatment. The IEDCR, reportedly, has been imparting training to the doctors of some major public hospitals in Dhaka. The government should also organise similar training for the doctors serving in public hospitals at the district headquarters and in large private hospitals and clinics in major cities and towns.
Since symptoms of the disease include fever with high temperature and respiratory troubles, there remains a possibility of considering it as normal cold flu. So, both the people in general and the doctors in particular need to be educated on the symptoms of swine flu and the preventive measures against the disease. The diagnostic centers should also be advised to acquire facilities for detecting the virus. The government without further delay must launch a mass campaign to make the population aware of the impending danger of swine flu. For, the disease, in the event of its large-scale outbreak, has the potential of disrupting normal life in cities and towns, including closure of schools, cinema houses and other places where people gather in large numbers. The authorities concerned, while making all-out preparations to face any eventuality, must also beef up screening of incoming passengers at all air and land ports.