LAHORE: After claiming 23 lives in south Punjab, especially Multan and adjoining areas, in the last couple of weeks, the swine flu (H1N1) has reached Lahore as seven more patients with symptoms of the disease were admitted to the health facilities here during the last 24 hours.

Aaliya, 24, a resident of Gulberg, died of H1N1 in a private hospital, taking the death toll of the victims of the disease to three in Lahore, said an official of the Directorate General Health Services on Friday.

Earlier, Ghulam Sarwar, 48, and Rasheeda, 72, had fallen prey to the disease as the National Institute of Health (NIH) had confirmed that both the patients were carrying swine flu.

Dr Yasmeen of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital tested positive for H1N1 while Sumra, 28, was admitted there with the symptoms of the disease. Javed, 65, and Kamran, 35, were brought to the Services Hospital, Parri Gul, 35, to Gulab Devi Hospital, Abid Mirza, 60, to Shalimar Hospital and Shaheen, 57, to Doctors Hospital during the last 24 hours.

The official said nine patients with symptoms of swine flu had been under treatment at the Doctors Hospital, five at Hameed Latif Hospital, three each at Surgimed and Mayo hospitals, two each at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Shalimar, Services and Ittefaq hospitals, one each at Fatima Memorial, Gulab Devi, Sir Ganga Ram and Social Security (Multan Road) hospitals.

One dies, seven more suspected patients admitted to hospitals

Meanwhile, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (PSHD) Secretary Ali Jan Khan said the medicines and vaccine of H1N1 had already been provided to all district and tehsil headquarters hospitals across the province.

Presiding over the 5th Deputy District Health Officers Conference here on Friday, the secretary said flu filtration clinics had also been established in these hospitals. A technical committee, constituted on the instruction of the chief minister, was monitoring the surveillance report of H1NI on a daily basis.

Mr Khan directed the deputy district officers health (DDOHs) to not only ensure timely response to the patients but also ensure vaccination of their contacts, high risk group, doctors and staff of the hospitals concerned. He issued directions for special attention on public awareness campaign regarding the disease.

PHC: The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has appealed to the public to go for only the medical practitioners registered with the commission and licensed by it.

Identity of the person(s) giving information about quacks on the PHC toll-free helpline 0800-00742 would not be revealed to anyone, said a spokesperson on Friday while adding that 34 centres of quacks were closed during the current week.

Further proceedings against 16 fake general practitioners, nine each jirrahs (bonesetters) and dentists have also been initiated.

The closed down centres of fake general practitioners included Munir Clinic, Mughal Medical Store, Maqsood Ali Clinic, Tariq Clinic, Minhaj Clinic, Chaudhry Health Clinic, Shahzad Clinic, Nawaz Clinic, National Medical Store, Ghauri Clinic, Haider Medical Store and Clinic, Muhammad Yasin Clinic, Abdul Rauf Clinic, Jan Muhammad Clinic, Azeem Clinic and Zulfiqar Clinic.

The centres of fake dentists included Awais Dental Clinic, Saeed Dental Clinic, Shaukat Dental Clinic and Lab, Decent Dental Clinic, Shahid Dental Surgery, Zahid Dental Clinic, Ali Dental Clinic, Sheraz Ijaz Dental Clinic and Irfan Dental Clinic.

The establishments of unqualified bonesetters or jirrahs were: Shifa Khana Jirai, Muhammad Shafi Jirah, Abdul Razzaq Jirrah Centre, M Shahbaz Dawakhana and Jirah, Asghar Ali Pehlwan, Shah-i-Jahan Fiaz Ghousia Jirah, Ali Hajvari Jirah, Muhammad Rafique Pehlwan and Bismillah Hadi Jor.

The spokesperson for the PHC said the commission was continuing its anti-quackery campaign across the province and its teams were visiting all districts and tehsils to eliminate quackery.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2018