Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said there was no reason to panic over the spread of adenovirus infections and other viral infections causing respiratory diseases as the state government has taken adequate measures for treatment.
“This acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a common seasonal phenomenon. At present, there is no evidence of a viral epidemic. The current situation is nothing but a seasonal surge and the number of adenovirus infections has already started coming down,” the chief minister said at Nabanna on Thursday.
There have been reports of deaths of several children suffering from respiratory infections caused by the adenovirus and other viruses at hospitals in Kolkata as well as in districts.
“Please don’t panic. Eta sheyrokom kono ghotona noy, kintu ekta bachhar o jeno kicchu na hoy (This is not a significant incident, but no child should suffer),” she said.
She said the panic was causing parents to take their children to hospital even if they are suffering from mild fever and cough, resulting in crowding at health-care facilities.
West Bengal chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi said: “Of the 5,213 cases (children suffering from respiratory diseases) admitted to government hospitals, 12 deaths have been reported. This is nothing abnormal during change of seasons.”
The chief minister said the health department had set up an emergency number — 1800-313-444-222 — where one can call for help.
“All hospitals have some facility or other. What bothers me is the referral. Underweight babies are being referred to Kolkata from Malda or Murshidabad. It takes close to five hours to reach the city,” the chief minister said. “Bachha ta toh okhaney morey jachhey (The child is dying there on transit),” she said.
The chief minister urged hospitals in far-off areas not to refer children to Kolkata hospitals and make the ailing kids travel long hours.
Hospitals in the districts, she said, have the required infrastructure and oxygen support, which were set up during the Covid pandemic. That should be used to treat children suffering from viral infections and if required, the government will give them more support, she said.
The health department has recently issued an advisory saying no child in a district suffering from respiratory distress can be referred to a hospital in Kolkata without ensuring that a bed is booked at the destination health-care facility. The referral, if needed, must be done with the knowledge of the superintendent of the hospital.
The state health department said more than 5,000 beds have been readied in 121 government hospitals and 600 paediatricians are on duty to treat children suffering from acute respiratory infections. There are 2,476 newborn care units, 654 paediatric intensive care units and 120 neo-natal intensive care units in government hospitals across the state.
Senior officials said a standard case management guideline has been circulated to all medical establishments and full availability of oxygen ensured.
On Thursday, the chief minister spoke about the telemedicine facility that was started recently in district hospitals and said patients could make use of this. “Ei tuku care to local hospitals ra niteyi paarey (The local hospitals can take at least this much care),” she said.
The chief minister later said the adenovirus infection was responsible for two child deaths and comorbidities, including pulmonary haemorrhage, and being underweight, for 10 other deaths.
“I would have been happiest if we could have saved these 12 children. Underweight children are more susceptible,” Mamata said. “All deaths are painful.”
After Mamata’s address, senior officials in the health department said the heads of all teaching hospitals across the state were directed to ensure there were adequate arrangements in terms of infrastructure and personnel to attend to the rising number of paediatric cases.
Senior health officials said at a video conference that doctors should adhere to the standard case management guideline. If there is any confusion, they should consult their seniors at Swasthya Bhavan.
