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Leading News from Sri Lanka ::
Nov 07, Colombo: First suspected death due to influenza A-H1N1 of a child in Kandy who belonged to a high risk group is most probably due to the pneumonia related to the flu, health sources said.
The recent death of the child, whose parents were medical professionals, was sending the message that condition of all the patients contracting H1N1 flu may not be life threatening is no longer true.
The cause of the child's death whether it was due to H1N1 was still not confirmed. Samples have been sent to the Medical Research Council in Colombo for verification of the presence of H1N1 virus. A full inquiry is being held into the death to ascertain the cause.
According to a health professional speaking on anonymity, tests are not readily available in Kandy for the patients suspected to be suffering with H1N1 infections. It takes several days to send the samples and obtain results from Colombo whenever the medical professionals encounter suspected patients with H1N1 infections.
The health professional said the antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are not available for the medical practitioners to promptly obtain from the pharmacies on prescription. The doctors in outstations need special permission from the Colombo officials to obtain oseltamivir, which could lead to unnecessary delay in initiating early treatment.
It is time to correct these errors to try and save valuable lives of other children who may be at risk due to H1N1 infections in areas outside Colombo, the source added.
Oseltamivir must be taken within 12 to 48 hours from the first appearance of flu symptoms to stop the flu virus from spreading inside the body. However, the drug does not prevent secondary complications arising from the flu.
The Health Ministry has imported stocks of oseltamivir sufficient for the treatment of 30,000 individuals but specified that the treatment would only be given to those severely in need of it.
The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry has set up sentinel units in twenty hospitals around the country with specially trained personnel to treat persons found to be positive with H1N1.
According to the guidelines of the Epidemiology Unit only patients with severe or progressive symptoms will be admitted to hospitals for laboratory diagnosis and treatment with anti virals. Those with mild illness would be managed as out patients with supportive medication and proper advice.
The anti viral agent oseltamivir has been available only in sentinel hospitals and the sentinel sites have been urged make arrangements to get their stocks through the Medical Supplies Division. Peradeniya Teaching Hospital is the nearest sentinel site to the city of Kandy.
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