Indore: District health department has decided to tighten noose against private hospitals for not following the guidelines of swine flu and sending unnecessary samples for testing.
According to department, more than 500 samples have been sent for testing in last three months but only four patients have tested positive.
“Yes, we are going send a letter to all private hospitals and also plan to take a meeting with them over the sampling of the patients and the need for following swine flu guidelines,” Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Pravin Jadia said.
He said that in not even one percent cases have the samples tested positive in last three months but the department is still getting numerous samples from private hospitals.
Nodal officer of Integrated Diseases Surveillance Programme Dr Santosh Sisodiya said that as per the guidelines, samples should be taken for testing only when the patient falls in C category. Samples can also be sent in when the patient is in B category on the basis of severity of the disease.
“Many of the hospitals are sending the samples even in A category, when the patient is suffering from normal influenza, having cough and cold and viral disorders,” he said.
A senior official of health department, on condition of anonymity, said that as the number of patients suffering from viral diseases has been increasing due to frequent weather change, some of the private hospitals are taking advantage of the scenario and retaining patients in the name of swine flu till the report is out.
He said that private hospitals are not following the guidelines and frightening patients in the name of disease while providing general flu treatment.
