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HMPV preparation to be made when needed: Health officials
The health department is suffering from an acute shortage of doctors with over 40% posts lying vacant
While health minster Dr Balbir Singh on Wednesday claimed that the healthcare system was ready in the wake of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) threat, officials at the Ludhiana civil hospital said necessary preparations would be made upon receiving any communication from the government.
The intensive care unit (ICU) at the hospital has been shut for over two years now and the “overburdened” emergency ward has just six beds.
Dr Deepika Goyal, who has the charge of senior medical officer (SMO) in absence of SMO Dr Harpreet Singh, said, “It’s not as if there is going to be a sudden surge (in patients’ number). We will prepare if things progress and if asked by the government to do so.” “We have the infrastructure. When need be, we will make necessary preparations,” she added.
The health department is suffering from an acute shortage of doctors with over 40% posts lying vacant. The health department had sent 17 doctors to district from the batch of 400 new doctors but only 11 of them have joined so far.
The health minister said he gave detailed guidelines regarding the virus to all the civil surgeons across the state via videoconference. He stressed people not to panic and said that the HMPV was not like Covid-19 virus but just like a common flu. “This is not like Covid. This is just like a flu which causes cold and cough. This is a mild virus. It doesn’t cause any serious illness,” he said.
He added that children under one year of age should not be taken outside and senior citizens with co-morbidities, like diabetes, hypertension, asthma and cancer etc, should ensure that they don’t ideally venture into crowd. If they need to go, they should ensure that their mouths are covered, he said.
Ludhiana civil surgeon Dr Pardeep Mohindra didn’t respond to messages and multiple calls.
