PMC starts a 24-hour helpline and control room at Naidu Hospital

Sakaal Times: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has set up a 24-hour helpline and control room at Naidu Hospital to contain spreading of panic in the city due swine flu. PMC will also have a coordination committee to take the final decision on school closures, if any.

School education minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil dashed to the city on Saturday and visited Abhinav schools on Karve Road, Sevasadan English Medium School and Symbiosis School, off Prabhat Road, which were closed after detection of positive cases of Influenza A H1N1 virus infection.

He interacted with heads of educational institutes as well as health and education officials of PMC. Vikhe Patil asked PMC officials to set up a coordination committee under the chairmanship of additional commissioner Umakant Dangat to take the final call on school closure in case of report of swine flu viral infection. Observing that shutting down the school does not necessarily contain the spread of the virus, he said, “From today onward, if a positive case is found in any school, the coordination committee will decide the course of action. The school should not be closed on its own. Closing down the entire school creates panic. Instead, parents should be sensitised to tackle the virus infection.” The minister, however, clarified that schools which have been already closed may remain so till July 31.

Vikhe Patil said, “Parents will get a form with information on swine flu and measures to control it. Parents should fill the form and send it to PMC.”

Citizens can call a 24-hour helpline number 020-20250050 to get complete information on symptoms of swine flu and preventive measures to be taken to avoid infection.

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Also see:

• November 4, 2009 -- 3 months after Rida, the pain remains (0)
• September 14, 2009 -- PMC to screen students for flu from Monday (0)
• September 1, 2009 -- Civic body’s Rs 2.5 crore incineration project to dispose mask is still incomplete (1)
• August 7, 2009 -- PMC launches mass media campaign on swine flu (0)
• August 7, 2009 -- General practitioners refuse to touch swine flu suspects (0)