How Delhi controls swine flu

After Andhra Pradesh, Delhi was the second state in the country to be struck by swine flu on June 8 this year.

After Andhra Pradesh, Delhi was the second state in the country to be struck by swine flu on June 8 this year.

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Since then the Capital has reported 7,900 positive cases of the H1N1 virus — the highest in the country — and 56 deaths. In comparison, Maharashtra has reported 4,469 cases but 251 deaths. The only better performing state has been Tamil Nadu, with 2,048 cases and seven deaths.

What worked for Delhi was an aggressive awareness programme supported by systematic testing and treatment of the infection, which devastated cities such as Pune within weeks.

“We succeeded because we gave anti-vitral medicine to everyone even before the test results came out. The toll on human life would have been much higher if we had waited for positive results to start treatment,” said Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia.

Dr Anjan Prakash, nodal officer for swine flu, Delhi government, said, “Starting treatment process before the test results stopped the condition of many of the infected from getting serious, thus preventing deaths.”

What had actually prompted the government to take the decision was that the government laboratories were taking 5-6 days to give results.

“All the three labs were swamped with cases from all over north India, so we just could not afford to wait before starting treatment,” the health minister said.

Tracking positive cases to people’s homes and monitoring all contacts and administering Tamiflu dose helped contain the initial outbreak.

Delhi was also the only state that invoked the Epidemic Act to force private hospitals into accepting and treating swine flu positive cases.

“We even reached the homes of people to provide timely medication,” said Walia, who went to a Rajokri farmhouse herself to forcibly convince a patient and his infected mother to get admitted to a hospital to prevent the spread of the virus.

Not only does the government have 20 tracking teams still working to curb the virus, they also have surveillance teams to monitor the workings of the tracking teams.

“I still meet the medical superintendents of all hospitals for weekly updates,” said Walia. "We have also ensured that patients from Gurgaon, Faridabad and Ghaziabad do not cause a shortage of beds in Delhi.”

Rishab Kumar (29) said, “I went with my nine month pregnant wife, who had tested positive to Lok Nayak Hospital all the way from Gurgaon.”

“Not only did the doctor give me and my wife medication, but also gave medication for all my immediate family.”

Nupur Sah, who went to Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital with her school-going children, was very happy with the treatment he got.

“They tested all three of us and asked us to send the rest of the family for testing.”