Early alert on swine flu

WITH the deadly H1N1 virus claiming 1,300 lives in India over the last two months alone, we are reassured by the government's proactive steps to minimise the possibility of a similar outbreak of swine flu in Bangladesh. According to our reports, medical teams are monitoring travellers at all 27 international air, land and sea ports in Bangladesh; more than 6,000 nurses and doctors have been trained to take care of H1N1 patients, with district hospital equipped with an "isolation ward" for potential patients.    

This is undoubtedly a laudable effort on the part of our government to ensure that our people are protected, given that there is a high risk that the virus will seep through the long porous borders shared by Bangladesh and India. This screening must be done in an efficient and energetic manner by dedicated and trained teams. 

However, thousands of people still remain outside the purview of such screenings, including those entering Bangladesh through Benapole land port every day and smugglers crossing the border illegally. Medical teams must be deployed without delay at the port for systematic screenings, and security heightened to monitor illegal cross-border movement of people. 

In addition to the screening, the government must also carry out awareness campaigns to inform the public about the symptoms and dangers of the virus and encourage people to get the vaccine which is available on the market. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to increase the government emergency stock of drugs which currently can only treat 600 patients in case an outbreak takes place despite all precautions.