Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, Nov 14: As the winter is about to set in people of Kashmir are a worried lot as Valley has received very scanty rainfall this year and the prevailing dry spell has led to the spurt in outbreak of diseases like cold, cough, fever and even the Swine Flu.
Since the day word about Swine Flu deaths taking place in the Valley has spread people are rushing in hordes to get themselves vaccinated so that their lives are saved and they don’t fall prey to the deadly virus. Allegations are galore that the health authorities are not prepared to tackle the possibility about outbreak of Swine Flu turning into a major catastrophe.
Flu expert Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan, who is also the president of Doctors Association of Kashmir, has already sounded an alarm and has advised people to take Flu shots and ensure that children and elderly people are taken proper care off. He has even requested the authorities not to conceal the facts and make people aware about the prevailing threat as he believes that Swine Flu virus this year has got mutated and it’s in the air.
“It is mandatory on the part of the authorities to report and inform public about the Swine Flu cases. We cannot fight Swine Flu by concealing the facts,” Dr Nisar said. He said that this season’s Swine Flu virus has mutated and is “unusually attacking healthier individuals.”
He said that doctors should prescribe anti-virals along with antibiotics to prevent patients from getting infected.
Meanwhile, sources said that SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura is the news for wrong reasons as a woman, Shazada, who recently died of Swine Flu in the hospital was allegedly not attended upon carefully by the medicos.
“It’s unfortunate that Shazada was sent back from SKIMS despite she having enough symptoms about suffering from Swine Flu. Had doctors admitted her on her first visit to the hospital her life could have been saved,” said a medico.
He said, “Her death was sheer negligence and the people handling SKIMS should take a serious note of it so that lives of people are saved.”
An insider said that SKIMS administration has been asked by the government to ensure that people with Swine Flu symptoms should be treated at priority so that common man doesn’t suffer. “Recently SKIMS top brass was pulled up by the Chief Minister office. SKIMS administration was told in clear terms that no negligence would be tolerated and they should ensure that patients get the treatment and no chances are taken,” the insider added.