The Hindu Editorial - 1 (H1N1 returns: what can be done to control the virus)

H1N1 returns: what can be done to control the virus (एच 1 एन 1 रिटर्न: वायरस को नियंत्रित करने के लिए क्या किया जा सकता है)

The government must urgently frame a national policy for influenza immunisation (सरकार को इन्फ्लूएंजा प्रतिरक्षण के लिए एक राष्ट्रीय नीति को तत्काल फ़्रेम करना चाहिए)
 

So far this year, 12,500 people have been infected (संक्रमित) with the influenza A (H1N1) virus, of which 600 have died. According to official data, Maharashtra alone has registered 284 deaths, which by itself is much more than the total mortality (मृत्यु-दर) figure of 265 in the country as a result of H1N1 in 2016. Even in the first three months of 2017, the number of cases and deaths were fairly (काफी) high, at over 6,000 and 160, respectively. Maharashtra could have recorded the highest number of cases and deaths caused by the H1N1 virus because of better awareness and and a relatively more robust (मजबूत) surveillance (निगरानी) system. But there is every possibility of a spike (खूंटा ठोकना) in the number of cases in the coming months with cooler temperatures setting in and winter still months away. Though the incidence (घटना) of H1N1 is likely to be less than in 2015, when the death toll (मृतकों की संख्या) was about 3,000, the steady (स्थिर) toll being taken by “swine flu” is a big cause for concern (चिंता का बड़ा कारण). The whole genome sequencing carried out at Pune’s National Institute of Virology has confirmed that the virus has not undergone any significant mutation (परिवर्तन) to make it more virulent (विषैला). The virus has undergone point mutations, which is normal and reflects its evolution (इसके विकास को दर्शाता है), but this has no correlation with virulence (विषमता के साथ सहसंबंध) whatsoever. For instance, the California strain (तनाव) had been circulating around the world since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic (महामारी). But as a result of point mutations, a new strain — the Michigan strain — emerged last year (पिछले साल उभरा). India witnessed the circulation of both the California and Michigan strains in 2016. This year, surveillance revealed (प्रकट) that the H1N1 virus found in India is only the Michigan strain.

As in the case of the California strain, the Michigan strain too is susceptible (अतिसंवेदनशील) to the drug Oseltamivir. In order to make the drug widely available and easily accessible so that treatment can be started early, the drug was moved from Schedule X to Schedule H1 last month. Timely diagnosis and easy and wide availability of the drug are expected to reduce mortality (मृत्यु दर को कम करने की उम्मीद है). It could also potentially increase the risk (संभवतः जोखिम बढ़ाना) of drug resistance setting in earlier. There are 42 laboratories providing diagnostic services across the country, and there is a compelling need to increase this number. The primary reason is that any delay in receiving results from reference laboratories combined with ready availability of the drug in more pharmacies will result in more prescriptions (नुस्खे) being handed out even in the absence of a confirmed laboratory diagnosis. Since the 2009 pandemic, H1N1 has become a seasonal flu virus (मौसमी फ्लू वायरस) strain in India even during the peak of summer (गर्मी के शिखर). The only way, then, to reduce the number of cases and deaths is by framing a national policy for influenza immunisation (इन्फ्लूएंजा प्रतिरक्षण के लिए राष्ट्रीय नीति). The first step in that direction is to have qualitative and quantitative data on the vulnerable population (कमजोर आबादी पर गुणात्मक और मात्रात्मक डेटा). Meanwhile, vaccinating health-care workers who come in contact with high-risk patients should be a priority (इस बीच, उच्च जोखिम वाले रोगियों के संपर्क में आने वाले स्वास्थ्य देखभाल कार्यकर्ताओं को टीकाकरण प्राथमिकता होना चाहिए).

 
आपको यह पोस्ट पढ़कर कैसा लगा, कृपया हमें कमेंट के माध्यम से बताएं। आप सभी का धन्यवाद !!! हमारे पोस्ट को लाइक, कमेंट, शेयर तथा सब्सक्राइब करें।