Influenza patients rushing into Lahore

Many rural areas lack facility, expertise to handle this most common ailment

LAHORE: When three-year-old Jasim Jamshed felt the symptoms of seasonal influenza, his parents had good reason to be worried as their native area lacked the facilities and expertise to treat locals, especially infants, toddlers and senior citizens. This is despite the best efforts of the provincial health department

“Although I live 40 kilometres away from Lahore, I rushed to the Sheikh Zayed Hospital where a doctor treated him professionally. Thank God he is save now,” commented his father Jamshed Liaqat.

“People [in rural areas] are dying of this common disease, but our government seems helpless in terms of eliminating the problem altogether,” he complained. “Many infants died due to this disease and several others are being admitted to hospitals.”

A spokesman of Sheikh Zayed Hospital agreed that there are a large number of cases of seasonal influenza, but the strict policy to maintain standards at Sheikh Zayeed hospital means no casualty has been reported to date.

At other hospitals, the paediatric wards are full of patients with seasonal influenza and most of them hail from Lahore and other far flung areas of Punjab.

“Yes, patients are still coming in to Lahore hospitals, but thank God no casualty has been reported as yet,” said Dr Ahmed Ali, a general physician who runs a private clinic at Wahdat Colony. “People must avoid visiting quacks if their child develops the symptoms.”

He said Lahore hospitals are already overburdened and the decentralisation policy seems to have failed, even when it comes to tackling common symptoms. The people are coming to Lahore for routine treatment.

In the cold weather, Jasim;s family had to take him to Lahore as the medics in their native area were not qualified. I wish the government takes reforms in the health department on a serious note,” he bemoaned.

Provincial Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique said in his press release that some cases of seasonal flu reported from Lahore and Multan were being treated according to SOPs. He pointed out that old people, pregnant women and children less than six years of age are at high risk from seasonal flu (H1, N1).

The minister advised locals to adopt preventive measures and ensure vaccination for timely prevention of the disease. “If symptoms appear, immediately visit to a qualified doctor or the hospital.

He directed to all medical superintendents of government hospitals to ensure the availability of medicines for patients and told clinicians to adopt preventive measures when treating seasonal flu patients for their personal safety.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2018.