Culling still on, public health comes into focus
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 30: Even as 11,350 birds including ducks and fowls were culled as of 3.30 pm today by personnel of the 34 RRT personnel pressed into service at different places in Imphal East and West, public health has started to come into the focus of the Government machineries.

Adding to the anxiety sounded over the health of the people, an employee of the State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department had to be admitted to JN hospital today at about 11.30 am due to excess bleeding caused by piles.

Putting to rest all speculations and anxiety, Superintendent of JN Hospital Dr Motilal said that the employee has been admitted to the hospital due to excessive bleeding caused by piles.

The employee however has been kept at the isolation ward of the hospital, as he was physically engaged in culling the birds during the last four days.

The employee is identified as Angom Surjamani (50) of Awang Sekmai.

On the case of the girl child who was administered Tamiflu yesterday and who is still at home because her parents have refused to admit her to the isolation ward, much against the advice of the medical personnel, Dr Motilal said that her condition is being monitored.

Two doctors, a paediatric specialist, Dr Narayanbabu and Chest Specialist Dr Shashikumar supervised the state of the child today, said the Superintendent and added Tamiflu syrup was administered to the child today too.

RRT personnel spraying disinfectant after culling the ducks reared at Raj Bhawan and a bird being culled during the drive

The child, was advised to be admitted to the hospital after she showed symptoms of bird flu yesterday.

On the other hand, Health Minister Ph Parijat has asserted that the health threat posed by the outbreak of H5NI type Avian Influenza at Imphal is fully under control and there is no case of the virus infecting human being.

Speaking to the media, the Health Minister informed that the State Government has already sanctioned Rs 24.29 lakhs to fight the spread of the virus to human beings.

Moreover, besides sending equipments worth Rs 40 lakhs including two respiratory ventilators, the Centre has also despatched medical experts to supervise the surveillance exercise.

The ventilators are fitted at the 10-bedded isolation ward kept reserved at JN Hospital, Porompat, he said, while lauding the health RRT members for their dedicated works in fight against further spread of Bird flu.

State Health Secretary P Vaiphei said the surveillance exercise would continue for another few days even though the area within the designated 3 kms radius has been already covered.

Dr P Ravindran , a representative of the Union Ministry of Health who is supervising the current health surveillance task said "the State Health teams are working in an appreciable manner.

"Now we are thinking of taking up another round of surveillance work at other districts.

For this the State Government is also preparing to organise a workshop here with all representatives of the districts so that they can study the surveillance methods done by the Imphal team".

Meanwhile, the RRT personnel of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department continued with its culling drive for the fifth day today.

Culling was carried out at Raj Bhawan too today where 12 Vincova breed ducks were reared.

Though the culling process will continue tomorrow, teams will be sent to the zones within the designated 10 kms radius to investigate the reports of unnatural deaths of fowls, which have been pouring in at the Control room set up in the Veterinary office.

Even today, the Control room received reports of the deaths of 240 fowls at Khurai Kongpal Sajor.

The birds reportedly perished one after the other during the last few days.

Many calls continue to pour into the Control room, with many urging the RRT personnel to pick up the birds left behind in the last drive.

On the other hand two officials arrived from Mizoram today to over see the situation.

Earlier a one member team from Sikkim arrived yesterday.

A team from Meghalaya was supposed to arrive today, but there is no confirmation of their arrival.