Chinks in Goa swine flu plan exposed

Chinks in Goa swine flu plan exposed
Preetu Nair

PANAJI: Neither of the two Rapid Response Teams (RRT) - consisting of an epidemiologist and microbiologist each - were present at Chicalim cottage hospital from Saturday afternoon till late Sunday evening and there’s no night screening happening at the Dhargalim border.

This at a time when health officials say that 50 to 60 patients queue up at the Chicalim cottage hospital for testing and the number of suspected swine flu cases is rising daily.

On Saturday afternoon, Malcolm Coelho, 27, who had arrived in Goa from Mumbai went for swine flu test at Chicalim, where he found neither RRT present. Speaking to TOI from his home in Cuncolim on Sunday, Coelho, a businessman said, “On Friday night, I developed temperature, body ache, diarrhoea, cough and sore throat.

As I had influenza symptoms, I was immediately taken to Cottage hospital, Chicalim. Here, government nurses refused to attend to me, stating ‘The doctors left at 2 pm. It is a holiday. Come on Monday’.” Saturday was Independence day. When the family protested, staff at Chicalim gave Coelho two contact numbers and asked him to talk to the doctors in-charge of controlling the spread of swine flu.

“I called one of them, who advised me to immediately go to a private practitioner and start medication. He said that if the situation didn’t improve, then to come to the Chicalim Cottage hospital on Monday morning. I am shocked that Goa has not learnt from Maharshtra’s experience,” said Coelho. Health department officials have downplayed the incident and said that no swab samples are collected on Sunday.

17 August 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition