JOIN USTesting procedures will be streamlined at RGICD
“Tests of swabs of suspected cases will also be conducted based on these categories; the serious patients will be tested first on priority,” said Dr Buggi.
Dr Raviraj, Resident Medical Officer, Lakeside Hospital said that meeting held amongst the health officials on Friday discussed topics like what steps the hospitals need to take if there is an outbreak of H1N1 influenza.
“A core committee meeting amongst the top officials in the health department would be held on Saturday to discuss about the new guidelines”, he said.
A source, who also attended the meeting, said that besides discussing the new guidelines, the health department also assured hospitals of carrying out throat sample tests at the earliest.
It was also decided at the meeting that public grievances on the viral disease will also be addressed and the tests will be done on priority basis. In addition to this, the private hospitals have agreed to provide 15 to 20 beds, in case there is a spurt in admissions. "This is because not all who arrive from airport would like to get admitted in a Government Hospital. Hence, we are looking at this facility," he said.
However, there wasn't any mention of whether the patients admitted to private hospitals would be charged.
Apparently, on Monday, there will be a follow up meeting, which will be attended by doctors from the participating hospitals along with their lab technicians.
Swabs tested in Nimhans
Under tremendous pressure, the Bio-Safety Level III Laboratory, located in the department of Neuro-Virology at Nimhans on Friday started testing samples of suspected patients of H1N1 Influenza.
As the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune refused to accept 101 samples collected by Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases on Thursday, the lab at Nimhans was compelled to start testing swabs immediately.
Head of Neuro-Virology Department, Nimhans Dr V Ravi said that the lab has received more than 100 swabs now and more cases are likely to come.
Dr Ravi said there may be delay in declaring the results due to the capacity of the lab. He said that the results of 101 samples will be out by Monday.