girl from St.Anne's High School,Pune, who succumbed to the H1N1 virus
2 days back.
Long after a worldwide red alert has been sounded up about the
potentially lethal Swine Flu(caused by the H1N1 virus)and hundreds of
cases being diagnosed in India,it is disgusting to see how the health
authorities of Pune responded to the ailment Reeda had presented
with.It shows serious lapses of communication between different health
authorities,total incompetence to arrive at a timely diagnosis,and a
shockingly irresponsible and lackadaisical approach by the health
authorities even when Reeda had started to deteriorate.
Reportedly,Reeda had developed symptoms of 'cough and cold' on
21st.July itself.One should particularly note here the temporal
backdrop when Reeda first showed signs and symptoms of a respiratory
tract infection.By 21st.July,a lot of cases had been diagnosed and
quarantined in the city of Pune,and the adjacent Panchgani-Lonavla
area less than 30 kms. away.
It is suprising to note that in this backdrop,the physician to whom
Reeda had reported first,did not keep the differential diagnosis of
Swine Flu in mind,while treating the case.Reeda's treatment was on for
3 consecutive days till 24.th July without any success and even then
the physician hadn't contemplated a possibility of a H1N1
infection.This exposes the general quality of community health care
in a rapidly modernizing city like Pune,with all its recently acquired
glamorous(read upstart) status of the tech-savvy 'trendy
information-technology hub' centre.
When Reeda had not responded to the treatment on the 4th.day,her
relatives took her to Jehangir Hospital,a popularly dependable
hospital for some time.Here too the shocking saga continued.
From 25th. to 29th.July,the hapless adolescent was under 'responsible
treatment' with all sorts of antibiotic combinations and repeated
chest X-Rays,but not even the senior doctors fell upon the possible
differential diagnosis for once,and Reeda continued to deteriorate.A
throat swab was sent to Ruby Hall Clinic on the morning of 29th.July
for the first time,after 8 days of infection.And this first sample was
diagnosed as negative by Ruby Hall Clinic.Reeda's condition continued
to worsen and she was put on a mechanical ventilator the same
afternoon,when a second batch of throat swab samples were sent
again,this time to the National Institute of Virology.It was at this
point of Reeda's treatment that the aetiology of her infection was
formally diagnosed,but it proved to be too late.
I'm not going into the details of what happened afterwards,as it is
not my intention to sensationalize the untimely death of a young girl
which could have been prevented.But on this note,I strongly opine that
the print media should be lambasted black and blue for the way it is
putting the pandemic of Swine Flu over the last 3 weeks.While it has
taken no responsible steps to inform the general public about the
simple do's and dont's to prevent affliction by the H1N1 virus,it has
proceeded to sensationalize the 'new deadly epidemic' which has
created unprecedented panic amongst the population which has made the
methodical medical screening for H1N1 virus virtually impossible for
health care authorities.After the unfortunate death of Reeda,the panic
has touched frenzied heights with a shade of impending violence which
has even forced doctors to redirect cases to other screening centres
as the they have been left short-staffed.And this has potentially
worsened the situation.
Coming back to the treatment meted out to Reeda,we find a physician
who had first treated her for 3 days without success.
The treatment continued in a well-known and popular health
institute(reportedly having Specialists in all Specialists)where the
treatment went on for 5 days.In these 8 days,despite Reeda's
no-response to ongoing treatment,not a single clinician associated
with the treatment seem to have thought of an obvious possibility.This
is shockingly deplorable particularly when confirmed reports of cases
with throat swabs testing positive for H1N1 had alerted the medical
fraternity for over a month.
On the 8th.day,a throat swab was sent to Ruby Hall Clinic(again a
seemingly dependable health institute)which gave a negative
report.Astonishingly,the same afternoon,the 2nd.batch of throat swabs
was reported positive by The National Institute of Virology.The H1N1
test is based on genomics(simply speaking- molecular diagnostics)which
is carried out using real time Polymerase Chain
Reaction(PCR)System.Each test cycle lasts for 4 hours and the margin
of error is practically nil(statistically 0.0000000001% ).It is beyond
human cognition to figure out how an infected sample can turn out to
be a 'false negative',just as near impossible to rationalize the
missing out on a strongly positive differential diagnosis(infection by
H1N1 virus) over a period of 8 consecutive,long days and nights all
along the patient was symptomatic and had not responded to treatment
regime(s).
This episode of little Reeda has torpedoed a large gaping hole in the
seemingly secure cover which the health care systems,both private and
state-run,promise to hold out for the population of a rapidly
developing neopolis advanced of information & technology.One squirms
to comprehend the possible quality of existing health care in rural
India,and lesser developed cities.
India recently became member of the elite nations to have indigenously
programmed a space mission to reach the moon.While an Indian can
continue to afford to be proud of this achievement,he cannot bypass a
big pointer of a question - if the country can afford embark upon
specialised space missions,why does the archaic voice cry LACK OF
FUNDS,whenever quality of health care comes under special,transparent
scrutiny?
The Indian citizen demands answers and appropriate action to be
taken.Why was Reeda left undiagnosed for 8 days? Why was her first
throat swab reported negative? Despite a wholesome mass coverage by
the print and tele-media,why does the panic of an epidemic originate
and continue to exist?
Lastly,why does not India have a Pandemic Law?The only relevant legal
clause is the Epidemic Diseases Act,formulated in 1897,a time when
Swine Flu,Bird Flu and AIDS did not even exist! Our country surely
does 'moon' over its tech-savvy present.Should we use our hands to
clap to the rhythm of the Indian 'moonwalk',or use them to change a
thing or too,amongst them age old ideas and a biased conscience
feeding on stepping stones of failure?
No comments:
Post a Comment