Mumbai: BMC trains staff at 8 hospitals in swine flu vaccine

Pic for representational purposes

In 2017, over 900 cases of swine flu were reported in the city. To curb the incidence this year, the BMC, has started training staff from eight peripheral hospitals regarding the swine flu vaccine. They have also instructed hospitals to provide vaccination to vulnerable groups of patients to save them from falling prey to the virus.

In 2016, only three cases of swine flu were reported in Mumbai that rose to 990 in 2017 with 18 deaths. Keeping this in mind, the BMC is leaving no stone unturned to keep a check on the number of cases. Previously, the vaccine was available only at BMC-run maternity hospitals.

"A lot of swine flu cases are referred to tertiary-level hospitals. So, we have provided training to staffers from eight peripheral civic hospitals including Bhabha (Bandra), VN Desai, Siddhartha, Shatabadi Hospital (Kandivli), Rajawadi, Bhabha (Kurla), MT Agarwal and Shatabadi (Gowandi). We have already given 100 swine flu vaccinations to these hospitals that could be administered to patients," said a senior health officer from BMC.

The vaccine will be given only to patients suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups. Medical experts have instructed Mumbaikars to take precautionary measures to avoid contracting the virus. "We have often seen that the patients ignore symptoms like cough, body pain, headache and gastrointestinal diseases, which further aggravate their health condition. So, with the change in season, people need to be cautious," said Dr Padmaja Keshkar, director of BMC health.

Also Read: Indore Reports First Swine Flu Death Of 2018

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