Swine-flu drive covers high risk zones in city

Hyderabad:  The H1N1 /Swine Flu Campaign launched earlier this month on November 1 by city-based NGO, Helping Hand Foundation (HHF) and Department of Respiratory Medicine, Gandhi Hospital along with Ladies’ Circle India covered 38 high risk zones within City and its suburbs.

As part of campaign, the volunteers conducted awareness drive at Bus Stops, Railway stations, Depots, Parks, Educational institutions, Religious places, Govt Tertiary and Area Hospitals and reached out to over 1 lakh population so far. On Monday, they conducted a day-long awareness campaign at the Chilkur Balaji temple for the devotees. A road show campaign was organised there to create awareness among the devotees on ways to reduce the risk of contracting H1N1 infection (swine flu), in view of increase in the number of reported swine flu cases in neighbouring States like Karnataka.

As part of creating awareness among the people about the importance of maintaining high personal hygiene to prevent swine flu, a campaign on handwashing was conducted at the Chilkur Balaji Temple. Trained Counsellors from HHF who were roped in to conduct the programme taught people on the correct way to wash hands and how hand sanitizer could also prove to be highly efficient. Chilkur Balaji priest CS Rangarajan, who participated in the campaign, emphasised that the devotees should be aware of the swine flu infection and its causes for the well-being of everyone.  “A few hundreds of people participated in an awareness drive conducted at Chilkur Balaji Temple along with HHF Volunteers Naresh, Shekhar and Arun Danny,” said HHF Trustee, Mujtaba Hasan Askari.

Taking stock of the Swine flu incidence in the city since the time the awareness program was launched earlier this month at Gandhi Hospital, he said, “the road show campaign has covered over most of the high risk zones within the city and reached out to over a lakh population by conservative estimates and this has sent a positive signal on preventive aspects of Swine Flu.” Overall 18 suspected cases were admitted in GGH this month (November) in which 8 were confirmed positive in comparison to 35 suspected cases and 24 testing positive last month alone at Gandhi Hospital.Out of the total 8 positive cases 6 were successfully discharged and 2 are undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital and most cases are being reported from Urban Slums in Old city, Askari added.