WITHOUT being alarmist, one can quite see a risk perception growing in Bangladesh about swine flu. Naturally, because the deadly H1N1 virus afflicted 27,234 people in neighbouring India, of whom 1,537 died as of March 10. Furthermore, in the adjoining West Bengal state, the number of infected was 274 whilst death toll stood at 18. Although  the big gap between the number of people infected and those dying is indicative of a certain containment strategy at work; still  the spread of virus in our immediate neighbourhood is concerning for us.

Accordingly, the Directorate General of Health Services here is bracing up for the task. Some 3,000 frontline health workers are going to be vaccinated. So will be the physicians, nurses or health assistants posted at the 27 international ports (air, land and sea), isolation wards of district hospitals and the Institute of Epidemiology labs. Immunity of those handling potential, suspected or afflicted patients will have to be ensured in the first place. However, in the process, other preventative, and particularly the curative measures to tackle the malady should not be relegated. These include strengthening health screening of passengers from India and keeping essential drugs and vaccines at the ready.

Basically, a massive awareness-building campaign has to be launched to sensitise the people about the do's and don'ts to steer clear of the deadly affliction. 

There may be an issue of mutations of the virus, an eventuality scientists must be prepared to face with  the discovery of new antidotes.