February 25, 2015
WB CM asks for setting up swine flu test labs in Kolkata and North Bengal
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee asked civic and health officials to take stock of the swine flu situation before it spirals out of control.
The West Bengal Chief Minister called a review meeting at Nabanna on Tuesday which was attended by the Chief Secretary, the Health Secretary, the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the Chairperson of Bidhannagar Municipality.
The Chief Minister asked the health officials to work out on an effective plan to combat the H1N1 outbreak.
At present, all swab samples of suspected H1N1 patients are being tested at the BSL-III laboratory at the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (Niced). But, Niced is a Central Government agency and the State does not yet have a laboratory to test such samples.
The Chief Minister asked the health officials to set up BSL-III labs at the School of Tropical Medicine in Kolkata and North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.
Preventive measures for Japanese Encephalitis were also discussed at the meeting. Civic officials have been asked to take measures to quarantine pigs and step up vector control measures as steps to prevent an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis in their respective areas.
