First shipment of swine flu equipment leaves WHO headquarter in Geneva

KATHMANDU: The World Health Organisation (WHO) is providing five sets of intensive care equipment for the treatment of Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) to the Ministry of Health and Population within the next 15 days, WHO representative Dr Nirmal Kandel, said here today.

Dr Kandel said that the WHO headquarters in Geneva had already shipped the equipment. The hand over, he said, would take place as soon as the equipment arrives in Nepal.

The equipment will be first handed over to the Ministry of Health and Population for onward distribution to five hospitals, he added.

The shipment of equipment is for strengthening the hospital capacity and to treat the patients in full-fledged condition, Kandel said.

"The headquarters is also due to dispatch swine flu vaccine by January end," he said, adding that they would be sending vaccine to around ten per cent of the total population.

Healthcare workers and their dependents, pregnant women, high-risk groups with co-morbid conditions, children less than 5 years old and elderly over 65 years are in the priority group who will receive the vaccine, according to MOHP.

According to the Avian Influenza Control Project, a total of 171 cases of Pandemic Influenza were recorded in the country. Of them, 119 are males. Out of the total number of recorded cases, two persons - one each from Bhaktapur and Chitwan- have succumbed to the disease thus far.