JOIN USThe Health Department has come up with a refresher course for the Rapid Response Team to be conducted in all the districts of the State. The course, to be held from June 24 to 29 in Bangalore, aims at jogging the memories of the district officials about not only H1N1 Influenza but also H5N1 Influenza (Bird flu).
Around 150 delegates are expected to attend the course, with each district being represented by a five-member team comprising district surveillance officer, epidemiologist, microbiologist, physician and pediatrician. The delegates will be divided into three batches of 50 members each. Each batch will undergo two-day training where they will be given mock sessiosn, new guidelines and briefed on how epidemic infections are handled abroad etc.
“The course is being funded by the Ministry of Health as most of these infectious diseases are recognised by International Health Regulation Act. We are not totally free from H1N1 or H5N1 Influenza. Hence, we should be prepared for a relapse or fresh outbreak of diseases and know how to contain it,” said Dr Vasudev Murthy, State Surveillance Officer, Health department. The officials are therefore being prepared for another five years.
Meanwhile, officials from WHO India, IDSP (Integrated Diseases Surveillance Project) under Government of India, Dr N Ravi from Nimhans, Dr H Paramesh from Lakeside Hospital, Dr Shashidhar Buggi from Rajiv Gandhi Hospital for Chest Diseases and Dr T S Cheluvaraj, joint director, communicable diseases, and Dr Murthy from Health Department will make presentations. Officials from Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, are also likely to participate in the training course.
Interestingly, the refresher course was supposed to happen last year. However, it had to be postponed as the IDSP people were held up with H1N1 Influenza and the Central government did not release the funds in time, said a source in the Health Department.