Slash H1N1 test prices: Experts

Representation pic

In view of the rise in cases of H1N1 or swine flu, health experts have urged the government to put a cap on the price for testing the same at laboratories, like the step taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, so that it becomes affordable for the general public. They also suggested keeping isolation centres for suspected cases of highly infectious patients who may require ICU support. Over the past two months, Mumbai has seen 64 cases of swine flu including 62 in July, while Maharashtra reported 142 cases and seven deaths.

Amid Covid-19 and the detection of monkeypox cases in our country, we need to be alert and ramp up our facilities and surveillance for H1N1 too," said Dr Wiqar Shaikh, professor of Medicine at Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals.

Dr Santosh Bansode, HoD, Emergency Medicine, Wockhardt Hosp

Swine flu is a viral infection caused by certain strains, most commonly H1N1, of the Influenza A virus. Other strains such as H1N2, H2N3, H3N1 and H3N2 also cause the disease. Dr Shaikh added that if a person has flu-like symptoms such as fever, cold, cough and the Covid-19 test is negative, then it is imperative to get tested for swine flu.

Dr Shaikh recalled that in 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared swine flu as a pandemic. Between April 2009 and August 2010, when the pandemic was declared to be over, an estimated 1.4 billion people contracted the disease worldwide and there were 2.84 lakh fatalities.

Mumbai has reported 64 cases of swine flu in the past two months. Representation pic

Steps required

Saying that specific RT-PCR is the method of choice to diagnose swine flu, Dr Shaikh said it costs between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 which many may find unaffordable and asked the government to subsidise and put a cap on the pricing. He also said that the government should make the test free at government and civic hospitals.

With the rise in viral infections and related complications, he said that separate infectious diseases units at every major healthcare facility is the need of the hour.

Dr Wiqar Shaikh, professor of Medicine, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals

"Whenever a sudden spurt of H1N1 cases occurs it gets defined as an ‘epidemic' for a pre-existing endemic infection. During the current epidemic wave of H1N1, all emergency strategies that were witnessed during Covid-19 should be activated in cities like Mumbai," said Dr Subhash Hira, professor of Global Health, University of Washington-Seattle and an advisor to WHO-TDR-Geneva.

Need more isolation beds

Dr Santosh Bansode, head of department, Emergency Medicine, Wockhardt hospitals, said, "We are not ready for any more epidemics now. H1N1 patients too need isolation beds like Covid patients, so provision should be made for the same. All suspected cases should be isolated till we get test results of H1N1. Any patient with high fever, cough and breathlessness should be suspected to have H1N1 and all general practitioners should be made aware of symptoms of H1N1."

"With the change in weather, cases of patients with cold, cough and upper respiratory tract infections have increased, which could be Covid or H1N1 or other respiratory infections. So the government should not close Covid facilities. Also, people should continue wearing masks in crowded places. We must understand that the symptoms of Covid, H1N1 and common cold are almost the same. So, we all must remain alert when we get cough, cold or fever and get ourselves checked for these infections. Early diagnosis and treatment are key," Dr Bansode concluded.

Rs 5k
Approx cost of H1N1 test today

7
No. of H1N1 deaths in state in past 2 months