RAWALPINDI: As four relatives of a swine flu patient contracted the disease and were admitted to the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) on Thursday, HFH doctors admitted that they only had enough of the swine flu vaccine to inoculate hospital staff.

Four members of a family from Sukhu, Gujar Khan, arrived at HFH after their pathological tests for the disease came back positive from the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Mohammad Hammad, Azizun Nisa, Mohammad Nazeer and Mohammad Majid were looking after a relative at the District Headquarter (DHQ) Hospital who died a week ago.

Following the death of the patient, district health department teams sent their samples to NIH and, after receiving the positive reports, the health department referred them to HFH for treatment.

City residents advised to turn to private clinics, hospitals for vaccination

HFH’s Dr Javed Hayat confirmed that the patients came from Gujar Khan and were undergoing treatment in the Influenza H1N1 ward. He said the patients were in stable condition.

According to Dr Hayat, seven patients are undergoing treatment at HFH.

Three government run hospitals in Rawalpindi have procured the swine flu vaccine for hospital staff.

Soon after the spike in the number of swine flu patients, many residents contacted government run hospitals to get vaccinated. The hospitals refused, saying the vaccine was only available to staff, and advised citizens to go to private clinics and hospitals.

Mohammad Khalid, a resident of Satellite Town, said he contacted HFH to have his children vaccinated as a precautionary measure, but was refused by the hospital.

He said swine flu incidents were increasing in the city but the government was not providing vaccines in hospitals. He said the government did not facilitate citizens at government hospitals, forcing many to turn to private clinics.

Shahid Ali, a resident of Amarpura, said his wife went to the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) to get vaccinated, but there was no vaccination at the hospital. He said hospital doctors said they would provide treatment if an individual contracted the virus.

When contacted, BBH medical superintendent Dr Asif Qadir Mir said the hospital had procured vaccines for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff so they would be protected from the disease while treating patients.

He said the vaccine was not available in bulk, as this would put a financial burden on hospitals. He said the government had not provided hospitals with the vaccine, and that the hospital had procured the vaccine using its own funds.

“We have only have enough of the vaccine for hospital staff, not for residents, as the government provided limited funds for the medication,” HFH deputy medical superintendent Dr Tariq Niazi told Dawn.,

He said all doctors and staff had been vaccinated, as three doctors had contracted swine flu while treating patients.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2016