Goa: No funds from state govt for swine flu

No funds from state govt for swine flu
TNN 1 August 2009

PANAJI: Even as the number of A(H1N1) cases in India touched 475, with about six cases in Goa, the state nodal officer for swine flu Dr Rajendra Tamba has issued a press statement through the director of information appealing to the people not to contact him for information on swine flu, since he has no funds to carry out any activity related to the disease.

The release states, "The expenses so far were made from funds under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) received from the government of India, which are now exhausted. Incidentally, 19 contract staff working under IDSP will be going without their salary this month as their funds were utilised for swine flu activities. No money has been received from the state government despite repeated requests. The amount asked for was Rs 10 lakh."

TOI had a fortnight back reported that Dr Tamba had written to chief minister Digambar Kamat asking to be relieved from the post. He had reportedly alleged in the letter that the state health authorities were not cooperating with him and not doing enough for the quarantined patients. It is reliably learnt that in the letter he had asked for a dedicated ambulance to shift swine flu patients, as a new driver was being exposed to swine flu each time.

The government of India guidelines regarding swine flu state there have to be dedicated doctors, nurses and paramedical workers taking care of the patients. This is required as medical staff dealing with confirmed or suspected cases of swine flu are at a greater risk of catching the infection. In Goa, these have been violated as doctors and nurses who take care of swine flu patients also deal with the other patients in the hospital, besides handling emergencies.

Also there are no separate ambulances for swine flu patients. "There is no money to hire vehicles to send people to collect samples and send them to Delhi for examination," said sources.

So far, a total of 14,439 passengers, 118 of them being international passengers, have been screened at the airport. Another 21 persons who arrived by ship at Mormugao port were also screened.

1 August 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition