Rapid response team directs PMC to focus on GBS-affected areas
Additionally, fresh guidelines for public health interventions and management of the GBS outbreak in the city will be soon received from the high-level multi-disciplinary appointed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, officials said
The rapid response team (RRT) appointed by the state health department to probe the probable cause behind the suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases in Pune, directed the health officials to concentrate on the cluster areas. The instructions were issued during the review meeting of the RRT held on Monday, where Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department officials were also present.
Additionally, fresh guidelines for public health interventions and management of the GBS outbreak in the city will be soon received from the high-level multi-disciplinary appointed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, officials said.
Dr Nina Borade, health chief of PMC, said, that during the meeting the RRT members took review of the situation in the affected areas and other parts of the district.
“We have been asked to focus on the affected areas and the surveillance has already been increased. Although the cases of GBS have been reported in other areas of the city. However, these are sporadic cases and not linked to any specific food or water contamination,” she said.
As per the public health officials on Monday, five fresh suspected GBS cases were reported taking the total number of cases to 163 in the district. To date, as many as 163 cases of GBS (127 confirmed) and 5 suspected deaths have been reported in the state. These cases include—32 patients are from PMC, 86 are from newly added villages in PMC area, 18 are from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, 19 are from Pune Rural, and 8 are from other districts. Besides, out of these patients, 47 have been discharged till now, 47 are in ICU and 21 are on ventilator support, they said.
Dr Borade, further added that the guidelines and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for management will be soon received from the state government which will be implemented in the surveillance and containment activities.”
Dr Babita Kamlapurkar, joint director of health services, said, “PMC and rural district authorities have been instructed to increase surveillance activities. In house-to-house surveillance activities, 43,793 houses in PMC, 11441 houses in PCMC and 12864 houses in Pune rural areas have been surveyed (total 68098).”
Abitkar announces amendments to Epidemic Act, recruitment in health department
To ensure better epidemic disease control, state health minister, Prakash Abitkar on Monday directed strict enforcement of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and proposed amendments to strengthen its implementation.
During a high-level meeting held at Mantralaya on Monday, Abitkar also instructed immediate recruitment of vacant posts in the health department. The minister announced that 400 positions from the waiting list of medical officers would be filled within 15 days. Besides, a review of approximately 2,000 vacant medical officer posts will be conducted, and recruitment will be expedited, said the officials in a statement released on Monday.
In a major decision, Abitkar ordered that 23 specialist medical officer posts be removed from the criteria and filled through departmental promotions without delay.
