Siliguri, April 28: The Darjeeling administration's
preparedness to tackle the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
has come under the scanner given the district's proximity to Nepal
and the heavy rush of tourists to the hills this season.
The district health authorities have
decided to ask the School of Tropical Medicine in Calcutta for test
kits to examine suspected victims of SARS.
Darjeeling shares a 170-km porous border with Nepal and another
94 km with Bangladesh, both are popular destinations for Buddhist
tourists, particularly from Southeast Asian countries where the
virus has spread.
With an increase in tourist flow; the district health administration
is still waiting for guidelines from the Union health department
on how to deal with the situation
`We have to attend a meeting on April 29 (Tuesday) at which
we are expecting a set of guidelines from the Centre on the precautionary
measures that have to be taken. We will raise our demand for test
kits if they are available with the School of Tropical Medicine,`
said Saibal Banerjee, the deputy chief medical officer, Darjeeling.
The health authorities dismissed the viral fever raging in Singla
as "sporadic and usual in the hills during this season".
District chief medical officer of health C.M. Chattaraj said: `We
don't have any patient so far showing all the seven symptoms as
defined by the World Health Organisation. Darjeeling is seeing a
heavy flow of tourists this season and a panic reaction based on
rumours could be harmful for the region's economy`.
Chattaraj said the administration was on guard. `We have instructed
the hospital OPDs at the border checkposts like Sukhiapokhri, Simanabazar
and Manebhanjan to carry out the tests on visitors who show symptoms
similar to SARS. If any such case comes to notice, the officials
have to immediately inform the community department of North Bengal
Medical College and Hospital,` he said. `We can't make
any move unless we are instructed by the higher authorities on how
to go about it and how to collect the blood sample of any suspected
victim`, the health chief added. |
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