KV Correspondent

Seven Doctors infected by swine flu at SKIMS

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Srinagar: After the dreaded swine flu virus took its toll on the doctors working at SKIMS, the families of several doctors, according to reports are now getting affected by the flu.

 Sources within SKIMS revealed that the number of doctors who have tested positive for H1N1 is only increasing, with some preferring not to disclose that they have tested positive.

“With not disclosing that they have tested positive, the doctors are risking lives of the patients who they treat, and also their own families,” said an insider.

What is more worrisome is the pathetic attitude of the authorities who have failed to make the swine flu vaccine available for its medical and para medical staff.

“The vaccines are not even available on subsidized rates, and in the market such vaccines are invisible,” said a doctor wishing not to be named.

Sources are revealing that the doctors who have been stationed at General Medicines department of SKIMS, have still not been vaccinated, thus putting their lives at great risk.

“The doctors at General Medicine department are prone to the infection as they are dealing with the patients who are having respiratory problems. They are dealing with flu patients, at least they should have been vaccinated, because they can be the immediate victims of the infection,” sources said.

Doctors at SKIMS said that the availability of such vaccines has decreased because it has been made as a universal vaccine like that of polio vaccine, people have kind of stored these vaccines, which is not correct, “there are certain symptoms that divulge the need of taking the vaccines, everybody cannot be vaccinated for this,” a doctor said.

As per doctors, there is a set protocol for vaccination, those who have got regular interaction with the patients in hospital, such as doctors, medical representatives, and the other staff, “but here everybody prefers to be vaccinated, leaving those, who need it the most in lurch,” he said.

Pertinently, five deaths were reported to have occurred at SKIMS during the flu season, and 7 more doctors have tested positive, however, earlier, Medical Superintendent, SKIMS Dr Amin Tabish had said that there was no need to panic, and the hospital administration was fully equipped to deal with any emergency. 

But so far, the hospital administration seems to have failed in making sure that the doctors working at SKIMS are vaccinated on time.


KV Correspondent

Kashmir Correspondent cover all daily updates for the newspaper

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