NAVI MUMBAI: After a gap of just over two years, the dreaded H1N1 influenza has struck in Mumbai's vicinity again. The virus on Tuesday claimed 13-year-old Sarita Chavan, a resident of CBD-Belapur.
Sarita was admitted to MGM Hospital, Belapur, on June 25 with slight fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. However, neither her fever and nor breathing difficulty subsided in three days. Worryingly, the hospital did not administer her the antiviral Oseltamivir, known as the best bet against the virus, within three days. The antidote works best when given in the first 48 hours. Soon, the girl's condition deteriorated.
On June 29, as her condition worsened, the hospital doctors finally suspected the possibility of H1N1 and contacted the heath department of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC). On the same day, Sarita was started on the antiviral.
"On receiving the call from MGM Hospital about the girl's condition, we immediately checked her, and sent her swab samples to Haffkine Institute in Parel. On July 3, her report came as positive for H1N1,'' said Dr Ramesh Nikam, who heads the health department of NMMC. Unfortunately, Sarita succumbed to the virus the same day.
State epidemiologist Dr Pradeep Awate said Sarita did not have any underlying ailments as she was checked for malaria, typhoid and other probable diseases. He did not want to comment on whether the hospital was negligent in delaying proper treatment. "A lot depends upon clinical acumen and presentation of symptoms of the patient. But if symptoms persist, Tamiflu should be started within two days," he said. He added that the state was carrying out sensitization workshops so that doctors start treating influenza before ruling out other ailments.
The hospital, however, maintained that there was no negligence on its part. Medical superintendent Dr V J Mahadick said, "The patient was admitted with complications of fever and diarrhoea initially. She had developed breathing problems only later. That is when we suspected it could be H1N1 and contacted the NMMC." He added that for the next four days she was given the antiviral regularly.
Sarita's father, Budha Jabriya Chavan (40) said, "We have spent over Rs 1.25 lakh on her treatment at MGM, but the doctors realized very late that it was swine flu. We have lost our daughter in the process.'' Residents of Jai Durga Mata Nagar hutments in Sector 8, Chavan and his wife are both daily wage labourers in Navi Mumbai and had to borrow money from relatives for their daughter's treatment. His two other children aged 18 and 15 years and his wife have now been started the five-day course of Tamiflu. "She (Sarita) used to study at the local balwadi school in Class V. We just don't know where she contracted this disease from,'' said Chavan.
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