Forty-five-year-old Jyoti Ankush Pardeshi of Hadapsar, who died on Monday due to swine flu, had a medical history of cough, cold, fever and breathlessness for last four days, but she was put on Tamiflu tablet only on October 3 when she was shifted to Sassoon Hospital.

Jyoti is city’s 75th H1N1 casualty.

With the distinction between seasonal flu and swine flu being difficult to establish as every case cannot be tested for H1N1 virus, medical practitioners are clearly demanding that Tamiflu should be given for any kind of flu.

“It may lead to over-treatment of the disease, but at least deaths can be prevented due to pulmonary complications caused by the virus,” said Dr D B Kadam, head of Department of Preventive Medicine and in-charge of Sassoon ICU.

The delay in treatment has compounded the problem, said P S Pawar, medical superintendent, Sassoon General Hospital. On August 20, the WHO had recommended the early use of anti virals in the management of a patient with severe illness. Tamiflu should be administered within 48 hours of the symptoms, says WHO.

Dr Dilip Sarda, chief of city unit of Indian Medical Association, felt that Tamiflu should be given within 24 hours of severe cold, cough and fever. Joint director of health services Dr Ashok Mehta said till date 25,964 people have been given Tamiflu in thecity after screening some five lakh for swine flu symptoms. He admitted that there is still lack of awareness about early treatment.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials said 113 licences have been issued and at present 32 licence holders have Tamiflu stock. The remaining 81 will soon get their stock, said R B Joshi, Joint Commissioner of FDA.

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