TN asks private hospitals, labs to help

A day after Tamil Nadu reported its first swine flu casualty, the state government has decided to rope in private laboratories and hospitals to tackle swine flu. The health department will permit private facilities to treat swine flu patients after they satisfy its guidelines.

So far 54 people have tested positive for the disease in the state and 14 are undergoing treatment.

Dr V K Subburaj, Health Secretary, said, "We have now decided to rope in private hospitals which have quarantine wards. They have agreed. We are also exploring allowing private labs. These are so crucial and all along all samples are being sent to Pune and Delhi."

On Monday, the Maharashtra government gave guidelines to private hospitals on the treatment of swine flu, as part of its fight against the rapid spread of the disease in the state.

The Chief Secretary of Maharashtra government met representatives of private hospitals and told them about requirements for H1N1 treatment.

The state government took a decision to rope in private hospitals to combat the H1N1 spread after the deaths in Pune and Mumbai.

The state will shortlist some private hospitals to treat H1N1 patients on the basis of the facilities available.