SHILLONG, Aug 12 – Health Ministers from the North East would approach the Union Health Ministry to equip one medical institute in the region for testing H1N1 virus instead of sending swab samples to Kolkata.
Meghalaya Health Minister, Mukul Sangma, addressing the media after a 17-year-old boy tested positive of swine flu said sending the swab of suspected patients to National Institute for Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata was time consuming.
He informed that Chief Minister DD Lapang has already spoken to Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad in this regard to set up the testing facility in the region.
“We are in touch with Health Ministers of the region and would be requesting the Centre collectively to set up a facility in one of the existing medical institutes of the region to test swab sample of suspected H1N1 patients”, Sangma said.
The Minister suggested that the testing facility could be set up either in NEIGRIHMS here or any other medical institute in Guwahati, which is easily accessible to other States of the region.
In Meghalaya, there were five suspected cases of swine flu. A footballer who returned from England’s Arsenal football club tested positive of H1N1 virus yesterday. Three other tests returned negative while report of another is being awaited, Sangma said.
He also said there should be adequate screening facility at the Guwahati Airport for passengers coming from outside the State. Such facility is required as people are constantly moving in and out of the region, the Minister said.
Asked if the State Government would issue travel advisory to people from the State, Sangma said it is advisable for people not to travel outside the State until and unless it was unavoidable.
Meanwhile, Sangma said there was no cause for panic as the disease was curable, but urged people to take the test if they observe symptoms of the disease.
Meghalaya Health Minister, Mukul Sangma, addressing the media after a 17-year-old boy tested positive of swine flu said sending the swab of suspected patients to National Institute for Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata was time consuming.
He informed that Chief Minister DD Lapang has already spoken to Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad in this regard to set up the testing facility in the region.
“We are in touch with Health Ministers of the region and would be requesting the Centre collectively to set up a facility in one of the existing medical institutes of the region to test swab sample of suspected H1N1 patients”, Sangma said.
The Minister suggested that the testing facility could be set up either in NEIGRIHMS here or any other medical institute in Guwahati, which is easily accessible to other States of the region.
In Meghalaya, there were five suspected cases of swine flu. A footballer who returned from England’s Arsenal football club tested positive of H1N1 virus yesterday. Three other tests returned negative while report of another is being awaited, Sangma said.
He also said there should be adequate screening facility at the Guwahati Airport for passengers coming from outside the State. Such facility is required as people are constantly moving in and out of the region, the Minister said.
Asked if the State Government would issue travel advisory to people from the State, Sangma said it is advisable for people not to travel outside the State until and unless it was unavoidable.
Meanwhile, Sangma said there was no cause for panic as the disease was curable, but urged people to take the test if they observe symptoms of the disease.
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