& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Govt confirms first swine flu death

14 fresh infection reported; patients complain about wasting time in testing

Staff Correspondent
The government yesterday confirmed the first death from swine flu and 14 fresh cases. Many hospitals in the capital seemed ill prepared to tackle swine flu patients while the doctors and nurses of some seemed reluctant to take even the basic precautionary measures.
Government sources said a total of 213 swine flu cases have been diagnosed since June 18 but most of the pations have already been
cured and the rest are mild infections.
"Currently three swine flu patients are in critical condition in hospitals and they have been provided with anti-viral drugs," said Prof Mahmudur Rahman, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
Doctors confirmed Thursday that 37-year-old Mitali Chakrabarti, who died early Monday, had swine flu. She had sought treatment for
SEE PAGE 15 COL 4 FROM PAGE 1 dengue fever at a private hospital in the capital on August 20 and it became a complicated case, said Prof Mahmudur.
The authorities also said, as per the guidelines of the World Health Organisation, people need not waste time with testing for A (H1 Nl) since the virus has already spread widely. Rather, they should start symptom management treatments and isolating the patients with symptoms.
I lowever, different hospitals, including some of the hospitals provided with special training by the government, are sending patients to test and confirm swine flu without giving them any cautionary messages or treatment.
Talking to The Daily Star at IEDCR, a resident of Uttara said she sought treatment at Uttara Adhunik Medical College and I lospital Sunday after suffering from flu-like symptoms for three days.
"But after moving me around from one table to another for some time they asked me to test for swine flu. They did not give me any other message or symptomatic treatment," said the lady.
Another woman who went to Bangladesh Medical College had similar complaints. "We are now wasting time in die name of testing instead of getdng treatment, "she said.
Prof Haider Ali, head of the department of medicine at Uttara Adhunik Medical College, said they received training on dealing with swine flu patients and they have started their work from Sunday.
"A two-bed isolation unit has been set up but we are yet to receive the anti-viral drug," he said, adding that the primary symptoms of swine flu and seasonal flu are common and that is why they cannot start treatment for swine flu without being sure.
He said they set up a separate outdoor section for patients with flu-like symptoms.
Visiting different hospitals in the capital The Daily Star correspondents yesterday found out that wards opened up exclusively for swine flu patients are very hard to locate.
In some hospitals the wards were dirty or locked from the outside. 1
Doctors and nurses as well as the patients in most government hospitals of die city were seen not wearing masks or gloves as precautionary measure.
Even though the government said 15 government and private hospitals have been prepared to manage swine flu patients, die reality is somewhat different.
Most of the people going to those hospitals do not know that there are separate outdoor sections for patients with flulike symptoms. They do not even know where the isolation units are.
Even the anti-viral drug Oseltamivir is yet to reach those hospitals.
BSMMU: Prof Pran Gopal Dutta, Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said a 100-bed isolation unit has been set up on 16th floor of Block-D to treat swine flu patients. However, the ward is not yet ready for patients.
Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH): An eight-bed isolation
unit has been set up on July 27 on the second floor of the hospital. Three patients with swine flu were admitted there and cured. One more patient was admitted thereyesterday.
While talking to The Daily Star Senior Consultant-in Charge Arjun Chandra Dey said they have started a separate outdoor corner Sunday for patients with flu-like symptoms and an average of 10 people with flu-like illness are seeking treatment there everyday.
He also said IDH has a stock of 5,000 anti-viral drugs for treating500 patients.
Dhaka Medical College and Hospital: A 10-bed isolation ward for swine flu patients has been set up at the administrative block of the hospital but doctors said it would be moved to thesecond floorsoon.
However, they confirmed that an average of 20 patients a day with flu-like symptoms come for treatment at the outdoor section but no patient has been admitted yet.
Suhrawardi Medical College and Hospital: The swine flu ward, which was opened up about a week ago, remains closed after 2:00pm. There were no directions to the ward for patient making the ward extremely difficult to find.
The Daily Star correspondents eventually found the ward around 3:00pm and it seemed dirty to them after having a peek inside through the window.
Patients and their attendants of other wards said the doctors and nurses leave the ward around 2:00pm.
Emergency Medical Officer Anwanil Kadir of the hospital told The Daily Star that they have been instructed to refer the patients they suspect to be infected with swine flu to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
Dhaka Shishu Hospital: A seven-bed special ward has been opened at die second floor of the hospital. The doctors and nurses of this hospital were seen taking precautionary measures.
The doctors said they have patients with influenza-like symptoms and are taking special care of them. If they suspect anyone to be infected with swine flu, they immediately refer them tp the IEDCR., Mitford Hospital: Brig Gen Khadimul Insan Muhammad Iqbal, director of the hospital, told The Daily Star that they have opened a ward with eight beds a week ago. They will increase the number of beds if the flow of patients increases.
He said, "We have received all the necessary equipment from the government to detect swine flu patients and cure them. The doctors and nurses concerned have been trained as well."
However, Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque at Bangladesh Secretariat told journalists that there is nothing to be panicked about.
"The county has enough stock of the anti-viral drugs and if treatment starts at primary stage, the death risk will be reduced," he said, adding that what is needed most is to main -tain personal hygiene and flu etiquette.
"We should cover our mouth while sneezing or coughing. At the same time wearing mask will be helpful to contain the virus," he added.