A(H1N1): general practitioners need to be sensitised

Worried over the increasing number of A(H1N1) deaths in the State, experts in the frontline of combating the disease now feel that general practitioners should be sensitised on how to identify A(H1N1) symptoms in patients and provide them timely treatment.
“The role of general practitioners is important now because treatment can be effective only if it is started on time. Tamiflu, the only anti-viral drug for A(H1N1) can be effective only if it is administered within 48 hours of the person developing symptoms. It is dangerous to lose even one day because the patient might develop pneumonia and related complications,” Shashidhar Buggi, Director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), said.
Citing the example of his daughter, Arundathi Buggi, who had tested positive for the flu and was successfully treated, Dr. Buggi said: “None of the 2,700 and odd patients who visited our institute for screening and were administered Tamiflu came back to us with complications. All those who died in RGICD were those who had gone to other hospitals before and came to us in the last stage.”
Medical Director of Lakeside Hospital H. Paramesh said the deaths were occurring because the virus has a tendency to spread rapidly. “There have been cases wherein the patient has developed pneumonia within 24 hours of getting infected. The death of a techie in our hospital is one classic case. This person, who was hale and hearty before he got infected, died within five days of getting the virus,” he said.
But at least two patients, who had reported to the hospital in the last stage when there were no hopes of their survival, are on the road to recovery.
While an 18-month-old baby from Dharwad was successfully treated and discharged from the hospital a week ago, another 40-year-old woman from Haveri is recovering.
The woman was brought to the hospital 10 days ago. “She had developed bilateral pneumonia and her lungs were in a bad shape. She was on the ventilator for almost 10 days and we had lost hopes. She is recovering now and we have removed the ventilator. She will be discharged soon,” he said.
“The patients themselves are aware now. If their symptoms continue for more than two days, they ask the doctor whether it is A(H1N1), who in turn does not want to take any chance. They are referred to bigger hospitals,” he added.
Although no deaths were reported on Monday and the death toll remains 64, 14 more persons tested positive for the disease taking the total number of confirmed cases to 774. While 13 of the fresh cases are from Bangalore, one is from Belgaum.


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