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Govt to make drug available

Swine flu infects 16 more

Mahbuba Zannat
The government yesterday decided to make the anti-viral drug available in the market soon to treat swine flu patients.
Meanwhile, the number of swine flu patients in the country stood at 275 after 16 more people were diagnosed with the H1N1 virus.
The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) detected the new cases during its routine surveillance.
The health ministry at a meeting yesterday decided to give permission to the local drug manufacturing companies to market the anti-viral drugs. But it could not be sold or bought without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner.
Currently the anti-viral drug Oseltamivir is available at 15 hospitals, which are especially trained to manage swine flu
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patients. But within a day or two the drug would be available in thelocal pharmacies.
The local companies including, Popular, Beximco, Eskayef and the government's Essential Drug Company Limited are manufacturing the drug in the country to treat the swine flu patients.
World Health Organisation also provided Bangladesh with 20 lakh Oseltamivir capsules for swine flu management. According to the government, the stock of the Oseltamivir capsule is now 29 lakh pieces.
"We have enough raw materials and if necessary it ’would be possible to go for further production," said Health Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque.
He also urged the directors of all the private hospitals to treat patients with flu-like illness.
"The private hospitals can easily offer the treatment," said the minister, adding that if they find it difficult to manage the patients with complications they could refer them to other public hospitals.
State Minister for Health Mojibur Rahman Fakir, Health Secretary Sheikh Altaf Ali, Additional Secretary Barun Dev Mitra, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Prof Shah Monir Hossain, Director of the
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research Prof Mahmudur Rahman and the directors of different private and public medical colleges were present at the meeting.
During visits to different hospitals this correspondent found long queues of patients with flu-like illness yesterday.
While talking to The Dally Star Prof Rashidul Hasan of the Department of Respiratory Medicine said that they had treated around 50 patients with anti-viral drugs and four patients are staying at the isolation ward currently.
He also said that they had a stock of 5,000 capsules to treat 500 patients.
Some 48 patients had been treated with anti-viral drug at DMCH till yesterday, according to the hospital authorities.
But the situation at the Urban Primary' Health Care Centres is quite opposite as no anti-viral drug was available there.
"A one-day training was provided to the officials but we are yet to get any guideline and anti-viral drug to manage the patients," said Abdul Kader Bhuiyan, manager of Surjer Hasi Family Health Clinic at city's old town.
Earlier on September 31 the government confirmed the first death from swine flu in the country.