Chhattisgarh government has put all chief medical and health officers on alert as at least seven persons, including a joint director of the health department, have died of swine flu since the beginning of this year.

The state’s preparedness to deal with the   H1N1 infection was reviewed by public health and family welfare minister TS Singhdeo in a meeting of department officials and experts at conference hall of the legislative assembly on Tuesday.

In the meeting, the minister gave instructions to ensure availability of sufficient stocks of medicines in all the hospitals.

He also instructed to make all kinds of arrangements for examination of the deadly virus and ensure immediate treatment of swine flu patients. He asked the officials concerned to immediately start taking measures and provide treatment to the patients suspected to be suffering from swine flu, and not delay it till the issuance of medical reports.

The minister also laid emphasis on mass awareness campaigns in all the districts to educate the people about various aspects of the disease and the treatment and check up facilities being provided by the state government.

He told the department to issue advisory in order to inform as many people as possible about symptoms, prevention and cure of the swine flu. Health department officials said awareness drive was carried out to educate people on preventive measures and treatment for swine flu.

“Check up for swine flu is being done at microbiology department of the government medical colleges and district hospitals. Free of cost medicines for the same are available in all the government medical colleges, district hospitals and community health centres,” the minister said.

For more information about swine flu, common people may Dial toll free number 104 Arogya Service and get the necessary health advice. The meeting was attended by health secretary Niharika Barik Singh, health director Dr Priyanka Shukla, managing director of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Niranjan Das, dean of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College, Raipur Dr Abha Singh, superintendent of Dr Bheemrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, Raipur Dr Vivek Choudhary, epidemic and project director (AIDS) Dr RR Sahni and director AIIMS Raipur Dr Nitin M Nagarkar and other experts.