Tamiflu made available at private hospitals

Thiruvananthapuram: As part of strengthening the preventive measures against influenza A (H1N1), Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) has been made available at more private hospitals and all government health care centres right from the primary health centres, District Medical Officer N. Sridhar has said.

The district health administration listed out the private hospitals and pharmacies where Tamiflu tablets had been made available. The hospitals are KIMS Hospital, SP Fort Hospital and Cosmopolitan Hospital.

Tamiflu can be bought, if required, from these medical shops also: Devi Pharma, Vanchiyoor; United Surgicals, East Fort; Neethi Medicals, Kedaram, Kesavadasapuram; Lakshmi Medicals, Medical College Junction; and Mullackals, West Fort.

As directed by the Health Secretary, the DMO convened a meeting of major private hospitals, pharma companies and dealers here on Wednesday to discuss if licences should be issued to more medical shops for selling Tamiflu.

Assistant Drugs Controller M. R. Pradeep and senior medical officers also took part in the meeting.

The district health administration appealed to the public to seek the help of a physician if symptoms of fever, sore throat do not show improvement within 48 hours.