NEW DELHI: As the swine flu death toll continued to rise dramatically, the Union Health Ministry has placed order for additional testing kits and oseltamivir drugs to tackle the endemic. The deadly virus has so far claimed 743 people across the country,with some 12,000 others picking up the infection. And Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra and Telangana have borne the brunt.
Union Minister of State for Health Shripad Naik said that the Centre is dispatching special Ayurvedic syrups to all the states as part of its efforts to combat the flu. According to him, the situation is under control. Besides distributing medicines, isolation wards have been set up at government hospitals.
“AYUSH can definitely help as special medicinal syrups are there in the Ayurveda which can treat this flu. The National Institute of Ayurveda in Rajasthan has already sent hundreds of bottles of this medicine to some states and we have requested them to send it to all states,” he said. Sources said the Health Ministry has placed orders for swine flu testing kits, Tamiflu tablets and syrup. It is also procuring swine flu vaccine especially for the healthcare workers, who are in the high risk category.
Health Ministry officials said that there is no dearth of medicines and hospitals are equipped to deal with the situation.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda reviewed the situation in Uttar Pradesh and assured Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav of Centre’s full assistance to tackle the menace.