With Only Two Centres to Detect Disease, Madhya Pradesh Grapples With Rising Cases of Swine Flu

Since January, swine flu has claimed the lives of over 400 people across the country; over 5,000 people have tested positive for the disease, according to the Union health ministry.

One of the most acute outbreaks of the disease is suspected to be in Madhya Pradesh, where 44 people have died due to the disease this year, say government officials. But according to off-the-record estimates by several doctors, swine flu has claimed the lives of over 60 people in the state.

The state health department has taken a number of measures, including setting up screening centres and raising awareness levels about the disease. But these steps seem to be faltering on the ground level.

At Bhopal's JP hospital, some patients complain that the administration is refusing to issue face masks, as they are apparently out of stock.

"I told them I have the symptoms of swine flu and I want a face mask, but they refused," Rajnish Jharia, a patient, told NDTV.

But Dr A K Shukla, Superintendent of JP Hospital, says such masks are being provided to every patient "who has cough and cold or flu".

Some reports have suggested that there is a shortage of Tamiflu tablets at a few hospitals; the state, meanwhile, has only two centres to test for the disease, in Jabalpur and Gwalior.

Anita, a nurse working at the swine flu ward of JP hospital, says, "It takes three days to get the report after we send the blood samples to the centres. If swine flu is confirmed, then they message us. If it's a critical case, then it is a problem".

Dr Neeru Singh, Director of the local unit of the Indian Council of Medical Research, admits there is a shortage of resources and manpower, "so we are working in two shifts".

But the state government disagrees with her.

"There is no shortage of face masks or medicines," says State Health Minister Dr Narrotam Mishra, adding, "We have supplied 18,000 Tamiflu tablets and we have 12,000 tablets in stock. We have also ordered the medicines we will need in the next six months."