Five swine flu cases reported so far in 2016

Two people died of the illness in 2015. One has died this year

LAHORE: “Two people died of H1N1 influenza in Pakistan in 2015. As many as 19 cases of the illness were reported in the year,” Health Services Director General Amjad Shahzad said on Thursday.

He was speaking at a meeting chaired by Adviser to Chief Minister on Health to review the H1N1 situation.

Shahzad said five H1N1 cases had been reported at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital in 2016 and that a pregnant woman had died of the illness the other day.

He said a patient of seasonal influenza recovered fully if provided timely treatment. He said safety wares had been provided to doctors and nurses treating such patients. He said an ample stock of medicines was available to treat the illness.

Shahzad said 15,000 tomi flue tablets had been provided at hospitals and 32,000 tablets were in stock. The meeting was informed that 10 tablets were used for the treatment of one influenza patient. Family members of the patients were given diagnostic tests and found negative.

Health Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah ordered the authorities concerned to be vigilant. He directed the director general to make arrangements to educate people about the illness through SMS service. He ordered that a survey be carried out in areas where H1N1 patients had been found.

Primary Healthcare Special Secretary Ali Jan Khan and Health Deputy Secretary were also present on the occasion.

Lahore General Hospital

More than 1.4 million patients were treated at Lahore General Hospital’s emergency and outdoor wards in 2015, Postgraduate Medical Institute/LGH Principal Khalid Mahmood said on Thursday.

He was giving a briefing on the hospital’s performance during 2015. He said the patients were given free medicines worth Rs310 million.

He said the LGH had been providing treatment and diagnostic facilities for Re1 only. He said the LGH’s dialysis centre was the only air-conditioned facility of the kind in the province.

He said the hospital also ran an evening shift at outdoor ward.

Meanwhile, Combined Military Hospital Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Chairman Arif Qayyum khan has been awarded Fellowship of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, says a press release. The fellowship is awarded to those who have made significant contribution to the knowledge or practice of liver and biliary diseases, it says.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2016.