A Second Wave Of SWINE FLU Around The Corner?

A Second Wave Of 'Swine Flu' Around The Corner........ ?
(Madan Menon Thottasseri)
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The health scenario in United States, the largest democracy in the world is now badly malodorous due the H1N1 pandemic and the situation is moving from bad to worst as the CDC (Centre for Disease Control) reported that 37 States have now have widespread influenza activity, highly abnormal in the season. Hospitalization rates for influenza also are higher. H1N1 2009 is an entirely new combination of four genetic elements: a bird flu, some human flu genes and two types of swine flu. The H1N1 2009 virus, which has spread worldwide, was surprisingly robust during the spring and summer months. Right now, about 90 percent of the circulating flu in U.S is H1N1, although seasonal flu, which typically peaks in winter, has also been detected.

In U.S the first doses of vaccine, in the form nasal spray (flu mist) for the H1N1 2009 influenza commonly called Swine Flu began arriving at hospitals in first week of October, 2009. The fear and confusion about the vaccine have spread just like the virus itself. The vaccine is initially to be given only to Children and staff in the medical care sector. A flu shot form of the vaccine is being developed now.

In fact U.S is looking at China which already commenced vaccination firstly to children. Of the first 39,000 Chinese to get shots, only four had side effects, including muscle cramps and headaches. It is to be noted that the new flu strain is preying on children and young adults and appears to have a disproportionately high fatality rate in pregnant women. Older people, typically most vulnerable to flu, appear to have some immunity. Rise in pediatric deaths in U.S has annoyed the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Infants and children infected had serious health problems which made them vulnerable, such as asthma, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy etc.

Strangely, Web sites and talk shows in U.S are abuzz with doubts, confusion, rumours which prompt citizens to accuse the government that rushed for the vaccine. The comedian Bill Maher recently announced thousands of his Twitter followers that people who took flu shots were “idiots.” A Consumer Poll’s report confirmed that hardly 35% of parents surveyed would definitely have their children vaccinated. Undecided parents are concerned as the vaccine is new and untested.

In India now the Swine Flu death toll is 380 as on date as per newspaper reports. With the addition of 149new cases, the number of total infections from the influenza virus is around 12,000 in the country. Even the Andaman and Nicobar islands which are away from the mainland reported the outbreak of the contagious flu with seven positive cases.
WHO reported that Swine Flu virus is responsible for more than 4500 death worldwide and it could take years for the strain to become more of a seasonal concern and the global pandemic alert would not be immediately lowered.

As per news reports, the Ministry Of Health, government of India contemplates to introduce the vaccine for H1N1 by mid December, 2009 at a time usually flu related cases are generally more seen throughout the country. The ministry has to gear up the import proposal on a war-footing and enable the immediate launch of mass vaccinations at least in States where the threat is more, prior to the beginning of the winter season in November.

The fall in temperature by mid November in many regions of our country will pave the way for a second wave of the virus.

Can our ‘democracy’ really get pace with H1N1?

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Can Indian Democracy get pace with H1N1?

CAN INDIAN DEMOCRACY GET PACE WITH H1N1?
( Madan Menon Thottasseri)
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It is very unfortunate that the H1N1 (Influenza A) flu threat has grown out of proportion now and the Government is yet to show rational action on a war footing. Every second is precious while the flu spreads to nook and corners and the government should declare an ‘emergency’ and induct army/paramilitary forces to assist all state governments in handling the pandemic. Street by street public announcements should be made to advise people with the sign of the influenza to stay back home and avoid socializing. We can take lessons from countries like Thailand and Indonesia etc. which handled the bird-flu.

Our nation India has still not deviated from the conventional style of governance inherited as a legacy from the obsolete British Imperialism of the gone century that our popular political democratic system is audaciously following right from attaining freedom. In many a number of occasions, a common man will never worry at all about the lack of governance but will undoubtedly feel that we have no government in this country!

Whenever a panic situation emerges out one fine day beyond the control of people or society around them, citizens will expect some astounding actions with sincerity basically from the government or source of authority. In fact even common people might have read or heard much about the threat of an epidemic or a natural calamity in elsewhere may be in far off countries, thanks to the present-day instantaneous reports of news channels in visual media, and would have developed a fear-psychosis and obsessed about its occurrence in their home town or village.

Our government has not expected the adverse situation as the authorities have not taken note of the cautions received from external sources and planned for timely action to prevent the eventualities. If our ministries are engaged in just ruling the people with the available funds allocated to them while celebrating their positions with power and please their political hierarchy, nothing is a threat in our country until it grows beyond the imagination and started moving from bad to worst.….. Whether tsunami, bird-flu, earth-quake……. and now the H1N1 flu and the prevailing epidemic situation. Tsunami gave the opportunity for swindling money by accepting donations from public for creating Tsunami-Funds through various ways not only by governments but also by never-ending list of Associations, Trusts, N.G.Os, political parties etc. Who can confirm the integrity of many agencies headed by unscrupulous persons raised Funds and vouches them for the so-called Tsunami-rehabilitation and relief to victims actually given or still under promise?

When ever people’s forums, media or NGOs raise an alarm upon sensing pressure from people’s apprehension and rumors, there will be some activity in ministries which will never get swiftness with the intensity of the problem or dreadful situation. This has happened in the case of the present Swine Flu out-break also while the contagious virus spread to newer areas day by day dismantling normal life of people and incapacitating the already fatigued economy gripped under the global recession.

If the WHO has cautioned about an eruption of Swine Flu, why we failed to take it seriously and prepared for rather defending it to some extent. Instead we gave 3– 4 months time for the virus to invade our country? Who is responsible and accountable for this severe lapse? We have a host of fraternities of medical profession, State owned and Quasi-Govt. research labs and institutions supposed to serve the people and why none of these bodies or their top-notch professionals openly came out with a timely defensive strategy programmed to fight the swine flu? If at all anybody advised the government or health ministry, has it fallen into deaf ears?

In our democracy the citizen have the right to know from the government how they will be protected when there is a threat of an epidemic cautioned by any international bodies or agencies. The government cannot just imagine that the people are not much concerned and also have no propriety to demand any white paper declaration from the government on any such issues. In our democracy, very often the government is just the political party or the coalition headed by the said major party itself, which secured the people’s mandate and thus can afford to give any justification for any lapses or deficiency of service to the people who installed them. Our citizens have no other go?

Let the high-profile investigative journalists bring out all factual stories behind the scene.

We cannot compare an epidemic, especially the Swine flu out-break with that of increasing number of other diseases like cancer, diabetics, asthma, heart-attacks etc. which are caused mainly due to changes in food habits or life styles, alcohol and tobacco addictions,occupational hazards etc. I personally wish that the government be seriously proactive at least here afterwards. The threat from dreadful viral diseases is as dangerous as the threats from terrorists attacking our nation.

The health ministry must have a core-team of experts to function like a watch-dog to research on the spate of any deadly virus or bacteria spreading diseases around the world and help the government to take any timely action to defend its entry into our nation. The core team can be given ministerial powers to enable interaction with various state governments, research labs or Institutions and come out with immediate remedial measures.

On this day, the fifteenth day of August 2009, the 62nd anniversary of our Independence Day, I dedicate this write-up to all our freedom fighters who sacrificed their life for the nation.
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