Despite tall claims by the Health Department that it had checked the spread of the swine flu, 11 persons have died so far in Madhya Pradesh in past 25 days. Nine of them in Indore alone.
Some 14 deaths from swine flu (H1N1) have been reported so far throughout the country, said National Institute of Health (NIH) Executive Director Dr Bargees Mazhar Qazi on Wednesday.
Briefing media persons on current swine flu situation, the ED said of the total 650 suspected cases, 168 were reported H1N1 positive.
A slew of deadly diseases like AIDS and swine flu have transmitted from animals to humans due to climate change and dramatic environmental disruptions, scientists in the US have claimed warning that the phenomenon may continue in future.
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, was at the centre of a political storm after health authorities admitted they had a huge oversupply of vaccines for the H1N1 swine flu virus and were trying to sell them on to other countries.
The UT Health department officials on Monday said referral of patients to hospitals in a critical stage has emerged as the primary reason for the increase in number of deaths due to swine flu.
Zydus Cadila, one of the five largest pharmaceutical companies in India, has received the approval of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct multi-centric clinical trials for the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine in the country. Zydus is the first company to get the nod, an essential step prior to commercialisation.
The Government has spent Rs. 1,400 billion for the development of the health sector in 2009 while Rs. 2,700 billion has been allocated for the health sector this year, said Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.
The Health Minister was speaking at a ceremony organized by the Ministry staff.
The Minister said 2009 was a challenging year for the health sector.
INDIGENOUS vaccine for swine flu will be available by March along with testing kits at just 25 per cent of the cost of its foreign counterpart, according to Dr V M Katoch, secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research. He said that five Indian companies were working on it and had made good progress.
