Editorial
Focus on anti-viral drug
Establish effective distribution channels
THE government's decision to sell the antiviral drug at a reduced rate for treating swine flu patients is a move in the right direction. The price of such drugs in the market is too high at the moment to be within the reach of poor patients. Obviously, this is a very important component of the overall swine flu management strategy adopted by the government, in the wake of the disease spreading very fast across the country.
The crying need of the hour is to have a smooth drug supply network in place. The government's plan is to distribute the antiviral drug through three drug shops at the upazila headquarters, five in the district towns and 50 in the capital. This is indeed necessary to ensure quick availability of the drug. However, the policy might have to be adjusted, depending on the number of patients and the severity of the outbreak of the disease in a particular place.
The health authorities' prime task is to prevent the swine flu from assuming an epidemic form, which will expose a huge number of ill-equipped, poor people to the viral infection. They must also see to it that the government-appointed drug sellers do their job efficiently. The point is relevant because in a situation like this, the possibility of corruption creeping in and black marketing cannot be ruled out.
Supplying drugs alone will not help contain the disease. It is disquieting to learn that district hospitals are not yet ready to treat swine flue patients. Even though some hospitals have opened swine flu units, there is no outdoor arrangement for treating the ever-increasing number of suspected swine flu patients. The health authorities cannot be oblivious of the fact that time is a crucially important factor here, since the number of infected patients can indeed go beyond control if effective measures are not taken to check the spread of the disease.
The WHO guidelines for dealing with the situation have to be followed strictly alongside providing treatment to the patients. The health authorities have to gear up the campaign to create awareness among the people in general. It seems most people are still not following the safety regulations, which include use of mask and keeping the patients away from crowded places. Adoption of such precautionary steps must be made mandatory to minimise the danger that swine flu poses.
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