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| By Prashant K. Nanda |
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Friday, August 21, 2009 (21:25:15) |
| Tags : Swine Flu, West Bengal, Health Minister |
West Bengal not ready to tackle swine flu: Minister |
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| New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Trivedi today said West Bengal is not ready to tackle the spread of swine flu and remarked that the state's hospitals have "more rats and dogs than doctors".
"There are more rats and dogs in West Bengal hospitals than doctors. The state is not ready to tackle the spread of swine flu virus," Trivedi, a Trinamool Congress MP, told media on the sidelines of a meeting on National Rural Health Mission in the capital.
"God forbid (spread of swine flu), but I am serious."
"There is not much facility in the state. I doubt if any private labs are coming forward for testing of swine flu samples. I am sorry, but the state government is not doing its part," he said.
West Bengal is also facing the outbreak the virus with at least 64 people infected by Influenza A (H1N1) in the state.
He said fortunately the number of cases in the state is not as many as in Maharashtra or Delhi.
"There is mismanagement on the part of state health machinery," Trivedi said.
When asked if these are political statements against a Left Front government in the state, Trivedi replied in negative. "I am talking as the minister of state for health and family welfare."
"I am sure that the virus will spread more in the state. Then the state government will be caught off-guard," he added.
He said his political boss Mamata Banerjee is more concerned about swine flu than the state government.
"When I had gone to Indonesia (to attend an International AIDS meet), didi (Banerjee)called me back saying that the swine flu was spreading in West Bengal," he said.
"If you don't believe, then see this text message," he said showing an SMS that he received from his party boss on the spread of swine flu.
The minister said that the central government is not neglecting any state governments in tackling swine flu.
In India, over 2,400 people have been infected by the H1N1 virus and at least 36 have died so far. Maharashtra, Delhi and Karnataka are the three most affected states in the country so far. (IANS) |
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