Pioneer News Service
Ranchi
The State Health Department has stepped up surveillance for seasonal influenza following a rise in cases of Influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 reported in several states, including Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
National Health Mission, Jharkhand, Mission Director Shashi Prakash Jha has directed all civil surgeons, medical colleges and district surveillance officers to remain alert and maintain continuous monitoring. Under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), daily surveillance of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases is being carried out and data is being reported on the IHIP portal.
The department said no influenza infection has currently been confirmed in Jharkhand, but precautionary measures have been intensified. Testing facilities for Influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 are available at RIMS, Ranchi, and MGM Medical College, Jamshedpur.
All district hospitals and medical colleges have been asked to identify isolation wards with at least 10 beds for suspected and confirmed cases. Authorities have also been directed to ensure adequate stocks of PPE kits, N95 and triple-layer masks, VTM kits, essential medicines, oxygen equipment and ventilators.
Patients reporting to OPDs with ILI symptoms such as cold, cough and fever, as well as SARI, will undergo mandatory screening. Doctors and healthcare workers have been instructed to wear masks.
State Surveillance Officer Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh said government and private hospitals had been directed to regularly upload patient data on the IHIP portal.
The department has advised people to wear masks in crowded places, cover their nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing, maintain adequate hydration and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. People have also been advised against self-medication with antibiotics.
The 24-hour health helpline 104 is available for medical advice and information on government health facilities.
