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`SARS wards needed, despite WHO declaration'

By Our Staff Reporter

VELLORE May 3. Arrangements for establishing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome wards in all districts should not be given up despite a declaration by the World Health Organisation and the Indian Government that the country was free of SARS case as per the WHO definition, said Kurien Thomas, Professor of Medicine, Christian Medical College Hospital, today.

At the Continuing Medical Education Programme on SARS, organised by the CMC Hospital here, Dr. Thomas was replying to a question from K.Pugazhendhi, dean-in-charge, Government Vellore Medical College Hospital, whether efforts to establish SARS wards in government hospitals should be stopped in view of the WHO/Government of India declaration.

Dr. Thomas said SARS was widespread in Singapore and Hongkong, and a large number of persons entered India from these countries. In view of inadequate monitoring of passengers at airports, the disease could spread.

Dilip Mathai, Head, Department of Medicine, Unit-1, CMC Hospital, stressed the involvement of the State in controlling the disease.

In view of the large Indian population, government hospitals lacked adequate isolation facilities.

Therefore, it was essential for the Government to establish special wards. Other protective methods to prevent the spread of the disease were also necessary, he said.

Of 52 million deaths caused by diseases around the world every year, 16 million were caused by infectious diseases and of five million deaths caused by acute respiratory infection, two million were of children in 0-5 age group, while the remaining were of persons above five years.

Between 1991 and 2000, pneumonia ranked topmost among the killer diseases.

Of 5,000 deaths caused by infectious diseases, pneumonia accounted for 17 per cent, he said. Besides, cost-effective methods of treatment should be evolved, he said.

Answering a question on Ezhumalai of Tiruvannamalai district, who tested positive for SARS at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and was discharged from the CMC Hospital on Friday after successful treatment, Dr. Thomas said he had been advised to remain quarantined for 10 days, asked to wear a mask and visit the hospital after a month.

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