Swine Flu in India and state of Information Propogation (E-Initiative)
So it’s official that Swine Flu has reached India’s shore – what’s really sad to note is that Indian govt’s lack of initiative towards educating citizens on Swine flu symptoms/precautions etc.
Let me start off with a small observation about Swine Flu – and how its being tackled by the ever “respectable” authorities inside the country.
Here are some facts :
1) Search for “Swine Flu Govt of USA” on google search – the first result points to “http://www.pandemicflu.gov/”
2) Search for “Health Ministry Ireland Swine Flu” on google search – the first result points to “http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/”
3) Search for “Swine Flu Govt of India” – the first page fails to point to any page hosted by the Government of India (rather it takes you to all the news sites).
The information presented so far might make the readers believe that there is no such initiative being taken by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW). Well, that’s not the case. You can find the specific page here – Swine Flu at MoHFW.
H1N1 Virus
I will stop short of dissecting this page or even comparing it against the 2 other links provided above. The amount of crisp and forthcoming information being provided by the first 2 pages is what I am looking for.
Coming back to the context – is there a serious lack of resources available to the Government of India (to provide information about the disease?) ?
Are there not enough people who will create a perfect e-home for the Swine Flu pandemic in our country ? Or do we simply don’t care ? To come out with a very honest opinion – the government’s single point contact – National Informatics Center – for all such requirements isn’t simply geared up to be the “best”.
Okay, lets leave the government alone. It has just started coming to office and I would hope that Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad would hover around and see that the government is found behaving in the most astute manner over this matter.
I may not risk trying to counter the actual on-the-ground measures being taken – but have a look at the picture below of a doctor at Attari Railway Station assigned to the task of screening people coming into the country.
And then read about the importance of face masks.
Swine Flu in india: Doctor, where is the mask?
If you look at the best hospitals in Delhi (i.e. AIIMS, Apollo, Escorts / Fortis, Safdarjung), except for AIIMS, none of the websites has a mention of Swine Flu on the homepages of these institutions. And AIIMS has done the easiest thing that was there to do – link those words to the Swine Flu page at MoHFW.
At the cost of sounding the utmost critic of civic agencies, I will have to make a claim. At a time when the H1N1/Swine Flu virus is getting utmost attention all across the world, – can we afford to lack behind even at the “Information Propagation” stage. Is it really too much to ask – that I want to read all about Swine Flu / H1N1 sitting in the comfort of my home ?
I can already hear the standard argument that would be posted as a response to this “want”. The internet penetration in India is minuscule and the government has taken appropriate steps through other information mediums.
Being from Delhi, I can only provide facts about Delhi. However, there is little chance that those facts cannot be extrapolated to be found true all across the country. Tune into any of the radio stations like 91.1, 92.7, 93.5 or 98.3 FM – and keep yourself tuned for the next 24 hours. Tell me the number of times you hear a government solicited campaign trying to tell you about Swine Flu.
If these radio stations can provide some recording of dates like 1st and 2nd May 2009 – listen to them again for 24 hours. And count the number of times you hear a Congress or BJP poll campaign. Well, it is no surprise what number would win this game.
It’s high time that our civic agencies, the concerned ministries went overboard onto the information bandwagon. There is no single information medium that could possibly be overlooked in today’s times. And if the private players in the Health Care sector are not going to participate in such ventures, there is only a particular section of the “aam-junta” that’s going to feel “informed”.
Isn’t it morally binding upon the Apollo’s and Fortis to be forthcoming on what the H1N1 virus is all about ? What are the symptoms ? What are the precautions ? How does the virus spread.
There is never a dearth of information when it comes to the Healthcare sector. However, there is a real need to have the right propagation mechanism in place - for both the public and private players in this space. I hope the agencies do not let this be treated like a localized spread of some disease. Its a “Pandemic”. Lets treat it like one.
Update – List of Help Centers
Mumbai: Kasturba Hospital
Ph: 022- 23083901 / 23092458 / 23000889
Chennai: Communicable Disease Hospital,
Ph: 91-11-24525211, 23404328
Mumbai:M T Agarwal Hospital
Ph:022 25605728, 022 25605729
Bangalore: RAJIV GANDHI INSTITUTE OF CHEST DISEASES
Ph: – 560 029, Ph: 91-80-26631923
Pune: Dr. Naidu Infectious Disease Hospital,
Ph: 09923130909
Mumbai: K B Bhaba Hospital,
Ph: 022-26422775, 022-26429828.
Nagpur: Govt Medical College and Hospital,
Ph: 0712-2750730
Mumbai:Siddharth Hospital
Ph:022-28766885, 022-28766886
Kolkatta: Beliaghata Infectious Diseases Hospital,
Ph: 09433392182
Mumbai:Bhagwati Hospital,
Ph:022-28917145
Delhi: Influenza Ward,
Ph: 91-11-24525211, 23404328
Mumbai: Rajawadi Hospital,
Ph:022-25127372, 022 25094149
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Please someone tell our ministers to atleast play this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqJr0WWDzwo) over even if they cant bother to make one for us.
I need to mention,When i flew into Mumbai last month I was told there is a swine flu screening for all intenraltional passengers flying into India and i have to follow direction on my way out. I was impressed but the actual fun began when i reached the desk
One guy(funny he is only speaking Marathi not Hindi) distributes passengers to 4 desks .then desk person wears a mask ,take my passport (doesn’t even look at me) and stamps “swine flu cleared”. Wah… what a 21st century screening !!!!
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That is the way Indian bureaucracy works in 21st century. When they say we are prepared, what they actually mean is that The Health secretary has written a letter to the Chief Secretaries to be prepared. I am sure the Chief Secretaries must have taken due dilligence and passed on similar letters to District Magistrates and the likes. Whether any action is happening on the ground is irrelevant. After all, they have written the letter for action to be taken. Their accountability ends there.
My room-mate came back from Switzerland and he contracted flu after a week. Thank God it was desi flu and not Swine Flu.(though there was a lot of bakar amongst our group of friends on the question what if it is swine flu
But even as a concerned and responsible citizen, he found it pretty hard to get himself tested and be sure that it wasn’t swine flu. Given that ppl coming from abroad are most likely to be infected, they are also most likely to search on the internet for information on what to do. Well, me and a couple of other guys are trying to be part of the solution than just whine about the problem. Give us a couple of days 
great .all the best in your efforts.
And here is more to see through the agencies’ preparations for
thwarting this spread of the virus
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/why-govt-hospitals-make-swine-flu-patients-sick/95112-17.html
Have been trying to post a comment for quite a while now, but it doesn’t happen. Started the website swinefluindia DOT com. Its been up for a while now. Do give it a spin and share your thoughts.
spammy Shashi?
Hi Arvind,
didn’t intend to be spammy…but since had commented earlier “trying to be part of the solution rather than the problem” so thought should post a comment about it here..lest ppl think “only words no action.”
Plus its a site for benefit of public.. and we aint making any money out of it.. so I hope you allow that much..!
Lots of problem here.. Treatment possible only in govt. hospital.. visit here also http://greenduniya.blogspot.com/2009/08/swine-flu-india.html
In Pune, People are making money out of the situation by selling the Masks at twice or more price of actual. This is just a business opportunity for them. What the gov is doing to regulate this nobody knows.
can i have address of website lauch by our indian government for communication of swine flu? till now i think our government just watching the conditions rather to take proper action.
It is sad to know that one basic thing is overlooked at this stage when information propagation is most important – that anti-viral medications are effective only when administered within the first 48-72 hours of infection. Else they are useless. There is no point in ‘testing’ for swine flu, medications like TAmiflu and Relenza should be given immediately on the onset of fever or other symptoms and this is what the public should be made aware of. It is true that you may still have cases where people may not respond to medicine or the medicine may show side-effects, but wouldn’t that be few? Why are we losing this opportunity here.
Or am I missing something here?
Anybody care to differ? If not, at least spread this – perhaps the government will take notice.
@nishant
i think mask is not the only answer because it is said that it cannot prevent from infecting see the link http://www.ceveni.com/2009/08/is-influenz-200-answer-to-swine-flu.html and also it is said that there is a homeopathic medicine as a precautionary vaccine dont know how much it is true
I juzz wanna make you people know that activation of 16 extra laboratries to juzz check up swine flu n set-up of state level rapid action for dis viral ailment iz nt juzz a stuff……you people juzz dont count d positivity rather you count the negativity all d tym…….juzz grow up people u urself have to take precautions regarding every single arrangement iz done all arround government will nt com up to u n feed u in ya mouth
death with swine flue date 22/12/09 Mr manish 23 Year in hindu rao hospital not proper treatment in gov.hospital in delhi.