Swine flu plan needs accurate forecasting

(01-10-2009)

HA NOI — Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has asked the Ministry of Health (MoH) to provide an accurate forecast for the A/H1N1 flu situation in order to set up an appropriate plan for pandemic prevention.

Nhan was speaking yesterday at the weekly meeting of the Steering Committee for A/H1N1 flu pandemic prevention in Ha Noi.

"Lower level hospitals should especially strengthen their treatment procedures in order to reduce pressure on crowded central hospitals".

He also suggested that the health sector could use military hospitals to treat non-military personnel infected with the flu.

The Ministry of Health also reported that a pregnant woman living in Xuan Que Commune in Dong Nai Province became the 16th death caused by the flu.

The 15-year-old woman was hospitalised in the Dong Nai General Hospital on September 25. She was sent to the Cho Ray Hospital the following day, where doctors performed an operation in order to save her child. The HCM City‘s Pasteur Institute on September 29 confirmed that she was infected with A/H1N1.

The patient died later that day.

The baby did survive the operation and was in good health and released from the hospital yesterday.

Director of the Preventive Medicine and Environment Department Nguyen Huy Nga said that 14 out of 15 fatalities caused by A/H1N1 belonged to high-risk groups. Only two of the 15 had been treated with Tamiflu within 48 hours of contracting the flu.

Nga also said that the ministry would issue instructions concerning A/H1N1 to homes soon to cope with overcrowded hospitals.

The National Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases has been receiving 250-300 people a day, who need influenza examinations.

As of yesterday the country reported 205 A/H1N1 new flu cases, which brings the country’s total to 9,058 reported cases, including 16 fatalities. Nationwide, only four provinces of Bac Can, Cao Bang, Dien Bien and Lai Chau have yet to report any A/H1N1 cases. — VNS