Nagaland: Cases with flu-like symptoms on rise; doctor attributes it to drastic weather change

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Aug. 8 (EMN): Cases of patients rushing to hospitals with viral flu-like symptoms, including common cold, fever, sore throat, headache and bodyache, are on the rise of late, said Dr. Bilva Yalie, medical officer in-charge of Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) Seikhazou in Kohima.

Interacting with Eastern Mirror, she said such cases can be attributed to drastic change in weather which is “causing a lot of issues” as patients come with different viral flu-like symptoms.

“We are getting such cases as it is flu season at the moment,” Yalie said. “The change in weather has brought a lot of viral fever, bacterial infection and so on. It’s quite challenging,” she added.

She said with the recent drastic change in weather intertwined with soaring temperature and continuous showers, people are experiencing cold and cough, sore throat and body ache.

On COVID cases

Dr. Yalie also said that lately COVID-19 positive cases have been detected, especially among the ‘unvaccinated’, at the health centres, adding the infection among children are also on the rise.

However, she said that none of the infected persons are serious and that hospitalisation is not required as such cases are manageable with home quarantine or home isolation.

The medical officer said COVID-19 patients are advised to strictly adhere to protocols during home isolation and inform their family members to get tested.

She also encouraged the people to take COVID test without hesitation, adding that “COVID is just a viral disease now. We don’t have to be afraid because we don’t have serious cases as most of the population has been vaccinated”.

Mask and lifestyle

The doctor underscored the need to put on face mask and take precaution as the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet.

“What I feel is to follow the face mask protocol as infection rate is much lower among those who wear mask than those who don’t wear them,” she said.

“It should be a lifestyle actually. Wearing masks is not just for ourselves; we wear it even for protecting others, especially young children and older vulnerable adults. I think wearing a mask goes a long way,” she added.

On vaccination, she said that except for the Sputnik V vaccine, three COVID-19 vaccines manufactured in India for different age groups are available at UPHCs and other government health facilities.

She said that at UPHC Seikhazou, they have Covishied for 18 years and above, Covaxin for 15 to17 age group and Corbevax for the age group of 12 to 15 years.

Free medical services at UPHCs

Dr. Yalie informed that user charges, registration, dressing, medical consultation, immunisation, etc. are free at urban primary health centres, which have investigation facilities to conduct about 36 lap tests and perform minor operation procedures besides giving consultations and routine immunisation to children, among others.

She added that they have a pharmacy for dispensing drugs and issues medical sickness certificates for eligible people who are sick while administering COVID vaccine. The facility also has OPD services besides a dentist who is available once a week and an optical assistant twice a week.

“People need to know that we are there for them, so they should come and avail the services,” she reminded.

The health centre in Kohima is open from 9:30 am to 4 pm at from Monday to Friday, and half day on Saturday. It was learnt that services for delivery will resume and X-ray facility will be made available once the ongoing construction of the new building is completed.

It was also informed that a total of seven UPHCs have been set up in Nagaland, out of which two are in Kohima —  one at Seikhazou and the other at Porterlane.

Frequent transfer concern

Meanwhile, a resident of Porterlane alleged that frequent transfer of doctors at the UPHC in the locality is a matter of concern as they will know the medical history of patients if they stay longer.

She alleged that the sugar level of a diabetic patient could not be normalised for over two months after a new doctor came and prescribed new medicines, following which the patient had to be shifted to another hospital.

“This is just one side of a story but I am sure there will be other cases where some patients might have undergone difficulties,” she said, while appealing to the authority concerned to look into the issues faced by patients.