After Cabinet Secy’s rap, Min gears up for vaccination
21 Feb 2015 12:34 AM GMT
The Centre has also sought exact quantity of vaccines required by the swine flu-hit states. The direction to states has come from Union Health Secretary BP Sharma in the wake of on the rise cases of swine flu. The Health Ministry headed by JP Nadda has asked such data with the objective to vaccinate health workers and doctors treating H1N1 virus infected patients.
In an another major initiative by Health Ministry, after Cabinet Secretary’s rap, the department has provided 5,000 tablets of Tamiflu to BJP-ruled state Haryana, while 4,000 Tamiflu tablets has been sent to Jammu & Kashmir through air carrier on Friday.
“Given the fact that health workers, doctors and hospital staff are in direct contact with patients and they need to be vaccinated first. Though, the plan is start vaccination programme for all, but protecting health workers is first priority of government,” a source at the senior level in health ministry said. The decision in this regard has been taken after cases of health workers and doctors getting infected to H1N1 virus come to notice from states where the swine menace is all time high, the source said, adding that Central government will bear the cost of vaccination.
The states which have been directed to submit the exact quantity of vaccines include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Punjab and Haryana. The death cases in these states are higher than other swine flu affected regions. The latest data released by health ministry on Friday puts total deaths at 743 while total number of cases is 11,955 till February 19 since January 1 this year. Rajasthan has reported total 203 deaths, while Gujarat has witnessed 176 deaths.
In an another major initiative by Health Ministry, after Cabinet Secretary’s rap, the department has provided 5,000 tablets of Tamiflu to BJP-ruled state Haryana, while 4,000 Tamiflu tablets has been sent to Jammu & Kashmir through air carrier on Friday.
“Given the fact that health workers, doctors and hospital staff are in direct contact with patients and they need to be vaccinated first. Though, the plan is start vaccination programme for all, but protecting health workers is first priority of government,” a source at the senior level in health ministry said. The decision in this regard has been taken after cases of health workers and doctors getting infected to H1N1 virus come to notice from states where the swine menace is all time high, the source said, adding that Central government will bear the cost of vaccination.
The states which have been directed to submit the exact quantity of vaccines include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Punjab and Haryana. The death cases in these states are higher than other swine flu affected regions. The latest data released by health ministry on Friday puts total deaths at 743 while total number of cases is 11,955 till February 19 since January 1 this year. Rajasthan has reported total 203 deaths, while Gujarat has witnessed 176 deaths.
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