Rajbiraj, September 16

Lack of expert medical professionals has affected the treatment of Swine Flu and Hong Kong Flu patients in Kanchanrup Municipality, Saptari.

One patient of swine flu and four of Hong Kong flu are suffering for want of treatment in the municipality.

As many as seven persons, including three minors, have succumbed to the diseases in the past three weeks in the municipality. Chief Damber Gupta at Department of Health of the municipality said they were facing problems related to the treatment of patients due to lack of doctors.

“We are confused whether to continue medication to patients in the absence of medical experts,” he added.  Gupta added that medication had to be administered under the supervision of medical experts.

Gupta said samples of blood and saliva of 40 patients were collected at wards 4, 6, 7 and 11 of the municipality. He said that the samples were sent to Public Health Laboratory and around 80 health workers were attending to the patients.

Meanwhile, District Disaster Rescue Committee had deployed a team of health workers led by Dr Ranjit Jha of Rajbiraj-based Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital to the affected areas four days ago. The team had reached the Primary Health Centre in Kanchanpur, and returned claiming that the situation was not dire.

Chief District Officer Surendra Poudel said the situation was not fearful and that a team would be deployed if needed.