Report by OD bureau; Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that an effective strategy should be chalked out to deal with swine flu. At a meeting here today, Chief Minister Shri Chouhan sought information about steps to be taken by the Health Department regarding prevention and treatment of swine flu. Chief Secretary Shri R. Parasuram was also present on the occasion.

Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that even village-level people should be made aware of ways to prevent from swine flu. Besides government doctors, private doctors should also be made aware. Information about availability of adequate stock of medicine and treatment facilities at hospitals should be disseminated to people. He said that samples for swine flu test send to lab should be collected in time. If needed, process to set up more test centres should be taken up. At present, test labs are situated at Gwalior and Jabalpur. He said that all the collectors should also be directed to remain alert in this regard and coordinate action in their respective districts.

Chief Secretary Shri R. Parasuram informed that collectors of all the districts are convening meetings of doctors to make them aware. Principal Secretary Health Shri Praveer Krishna informed that adequate stock of medicines for treating swine flu is available at all the development blocks. Isolation wards have been set up in all the district hospitals, medical colleges and 40 private hospitals. Collectors and commissioners are undertaking weekly reviews. People are being made aware that they should not be indifferent when they catch cold, fever and cough instead get themselves treated immediately at the nearest government hospital.

Principal Secretary Medical Education Shri Ajay Tirkey, Secretary to Chief Minister Shri Vivek Agrawal and officers of the Health Department were present on the occasion.