overnor reviews H1N1 with MoHFW’s experts: Discusses opening of NCDC Branch and Network of ;Testing Labs in State

Jammu, February 28 (KMW): The Governor, Mr. N.N. Vohra, reviewed the status of H1N1 Influenza in the State, in a meeting held here at the Raj Bhavan today evening.
The Governor urged the visiting Central Team comprising Dr. S.K. Jain, Joint Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Dr. Charoo Hans, HoD Microbiology, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi; to strongly endorse the State Government’s proposal for setting up a Laboratory with testing facility in Jammu so that it can be established very early. He also emphasized the need for establishing a network of District Laboratories in the State keeping in view the remoteness and long distances between the district hqrs and the regional capitals. He also called for further strengthening of the SKIMS Laboratory.
The Central Team suggested that a branch of NCDC can be established in the State, with the requisite technical staff and a small laboratory, so that the issues relating to public health could be addressed locally and timely. NCDC also offered to extend assistance in capacity building in public health.
The Governor also called for round the year conduct of awareness programmes in public health all over the State. He directed Shri Gaznaffar Hussain, Health Secretary to Government, to draw an action plan for strengthening the long term preparedness of the State to handle various endemic diseases.
Today’s meeting was attended by the Central Team; Mr. P.K. Tripathi, Principal Secretary to the Governor; Mr. Gazanffer Hussain, Health and Medical Education Secretary; Dr. Ghanshyam, Principal, Government Medical College, Jammu; Dr. Baljeet Pathania, Director, Health Services Jammu; and Dr. Yash Pal Sharma, Mission Director NRHM.
Earlier, the Central Team had a meeting with Principal GMC Jammu and Director Health Services Jammu. This Team will be visiting Srinagar on 2nd March, 2015. Dr. N.S. Dharamshakti, Addl. DG Emergency Medical Relief Division, Directorate General of Health Services, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be reaching Srinagar directly on 1st March, 2015.
The Governor was informed that a total of 12,603 patients have so far been seen in OPD in the two medical Colleges and various hospitals of the State; 1858 persons were seen in OPD today of whom 1464 were seen in Kashmir and 394 in Jammu. Of the total 192 samples taken for H1N1 in Jammu Division: 27 cases have tested positive; 67 negative; reports are awaited in 98 cases and 27 patients have been admitted till date. Director Health Services Jammu today issued 600 Tamiflu tablets to SMGS Hospital and GMC Jammu whereas 1000 Tamiflu tablets have been issued to the district hospitals in Jammu Division. In Srinagar, 6 patients are presently admitted in GMC, where 1085 patients were seen in its OPD.
In SKIMS, 130 patients were seen in OPD today and 17 test samples were taken; 181 cases have tested positive for H1N1 Influenza so far. 2 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours and 07 patients remain admitted in the Isolation Ward.