BIRATNAGAR: The government is yet to wake up to the reality of swine flu if one goes by the mechanism in place at three porous border points to prevent the pandemic from entering Nepal.

Health desks have been put in place only on two border points — Rupediya and Jogbani. There is no sign of health desks in Raxaul, Kakarbhitta and Belahiya.

According to the chief of District Public Health Office, Morang, Dinesh Chapagain, two health workers were deployed at Jogbani on Friday and health checks of passengers has already begun there. Health assistant Labarenj Shah said they tested more than 100 passengers for swine flu between Friday and Monday but nobody tested positive.

If any of those entering Nepal from Indian towns is suspected of swine flu, s/he will be taken to the isolation ward of Koshi Zonal Hospital. “If required, specialists will be called from disease control department for further tests,” Chapagain added. Thousands cross to Nepal via Jogbani daily.

A check post will be set up at Kakarbhitta in Jhapa on July 16 for putting preventive measures in place. Meanwhile, Jhapa District Public Health Office has already directed 50 health

organisations to be on alert.

However, no mechanism is in place at Raxaul to check the spread of the flu. The public health office, too, seems ignorant about it. Chief of Swine Flu Disease Control Programme of Public Health Office at Parsa, Prem Chanda Jayasabal, said no concrete steps have been taken in this regard on the border points of the district.

There is no sign of surveillance on Rupandehi’s border point — Belahiya. Thousands of tourists from India and other countries enter Nepal via this point daily. Senior public health chief of District Public Health Office in Rupandehi, Ram Chandra Khanal, said the drive in Belahiya started from today.

On the Nepal-China border point at Tatopani, there is no semblance of surveillance. However, screening is being conducted once people cross over to the Chinese territory.

Health authorities adopt tough measures

KATHMANDU: The government has adopted tough measures to combat the

outbreak of swine flu pandemic. The move comes in the wake of three confirmed cases of the flu.

Manas Banerjee, director-coordinator, Avian Influenza Control Project, said they were working round-the-clock to thwart the spread of contagious disease and staying in touch with community health centres and district, regional and hospitals to speed up the drive against the disease.