Swine flu has claimed its youngest victim in the capital with a five-year-old girl succumbing to the virus. The patient admitted at the MCD-run Hindu Rao Hospital died on February 13, according to the Directorate of Health Services (DHS). With this, the total number of deaths in Delhi has climbed to 10.
“Alisha, 5, died due to swine flu on February 13 at Hindu Rao Hospital,” said Dr R N Das, senior official of DHS. He confirmed the girl was the youngest victim of the H1N1 virus.
According to the hospital administration, the child’s family had refused to give permission to put her on ventilator. “The girl was suffering from lower respiratory infection and in such a condition, it is detrimental if the patient is not put on ventilator. The girl’s family refused to allow the doctors to put her on ventilator,” said Dr D K Seth, Director of hospital administration. The hospital has reported two deaths due to swine flu till now.
Even though children below the age of five form the high-risk group of patients, the capital is still reeling under the shortage of Tamiflu syrup for children.
Doctors at government hospitals said in suspected cases of swine flu in children, the same drug is being given in lower dosage after crushing the capsule and “mixing it with honey or sugar”. Though effective, it is much easier for children to consume the syrup, admitted doctors. There is a shortage of syrup across state-run and Centre-run hospitals in the city.
Among the key hospitals contacted by Deccan Herald, AIIMS, Rammanohar Lohia Hospital, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital and Lok Nayak Hospital said there is an acute shortage of syrup.
When this newspaper ran a check on private chemist shops like Krishna Medicos and New Delhi Medicos, among others outside RML Hospital, it was found that there was no supply of syrup for almost a month now.
The DHS also admitted to the syrup shortage. “There is a shortage of Tamiflu syrup. We have contacted the suppliers long back. We are expecting a supply once the suppliers are ready with stock,” said Dr S K Sharma, Director, DHS.
The lack of syrup showed the lack of preparedness by the government in dealing with the disease, doctors pointed out.
“There is no syrup because manufacturers cannot supply in this proportion. The government did not foresee the situation, therefore this condition here,” said a doctor from a Centre-run hospital.
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