Health dept. prepared for new diseases
Chizokho Vero
Kohima | September 15
Concerned about emerging diseases, Nagaland’s department of Health & Family Welfare and Veterinary & Animal Husbandry are fully prepared to control them by initiating various forms of preventive measures and equipping with medicines. At the state-level workshop on emerging diseases held here today, both the departments highlighted the present status of efforts on emerging diseases such as Avian Influenza, Swine Influenza, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and H1N2.
Dr. Kevichusa from the medical department said there is no case of swine flu in the state so far. He said all the samples had returned with negative results. He said the state received ‘Tamiflu’ numbering 1, 20,000 capsules which have been distributed to all district hospitals while some stock are kept in Kohima. 230 isolation wards have already been established by the department in all district hospitals in case of any suspected cases. The army in Dimapur and private nursing homes have also expressed willingness to extend isolation wards for swine flu cases, he said.
The department has also set up Rapid Response Teams in Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung, which also cover other districts of the state. Dr. Kevichusa said that screening has already started at Dimapur airport where doctors are deputed daily on rotation-basis. Billboards on Dos and Don’ts will be placed at the airport, bus stations and public places. He also said that pamphlets are being published which will be distributed to the public and students.
Translation of Dos and Don’ts on swine flu will also be done in local dialects. Dr. Simon Ao from Veterinary & Animal Husbandry said department is presently carrying out surveillance activities against the emerging diseases. Regarding Avian Influenza, he said no positive result was detected so far out of 4797 samples tested from March 2006 to July 2009.
The department procured and stocked various equipments, instruments and related materials such as PPE kits direct handlers (2000 in number), PPE kits indirect handlers (2000), N95 masks (1000), face masks (1000), foggers (60) and chemicals/disinfectants (Lime power, Formaldehyde, KMno4, Dettol and Phenyl)
On account of the prevailing swine flu pandemic, the department has decided to activate surveillance works at the following levels: (I) All inter-state quarantine check-posts (II) entire department owned piggery farms of the state including organized private piggery farms who will also be advised to adhere to the bio-security measures, (III) market-level by coordinating with the authorities and (IV) to carry out Sero-surveillance by collecting samples from suspect animals. 37 samples colleted from suspect animals have been submitted to the NERDDL, Guwahati for testing, it was informed.
On Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, it was said that the sample size for the state of Nagaland is five. The status of samples collected and submitted at the NERDDL in Guwahati.
Addressing the workshop, Chief Secretary Lalthara, IAS, complimented the medical department for making all possible effort to prevent and control swine flu, adding “our preparation is quite satisfactory.” He maintained that because of the progress being made, there is no case of swine flu in the state. He lauded the department of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry for its preparedness to prevent the emerging diseases. Stating that the whole world is making effort to control emerging diseases, he said “We should constantly struggle to control the diseases.”
Commissioner & Secretary for Veterinary & Animal Husbandry LH Thangi Mannen stressed on the need to take preventive measures against emerging disease. Understanding the subject matter is essential component to meet the challenges, she said. She said many unheard-of diseases are coming up in the recent times, which does not only affect the health but also impact socio-economic matter. The workshop will come out with some action plan to carry forward how best emerging diseases can be prevented, she said.
Dr. JA Dewan from the North East Regional Disease Diagnosis Laboratory in Guwahati in his keynote address stressed on the need to find out solution and how to control emerging diseases. He called for joint efforts of the veterinary and animal husbandry, medical, forest and other departments to devise preventive measures. The workshop, being held under the aegis of the state’s department of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry and sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Delhi, will go on till September 16.
