New Delhi, Aug 9 (Inditop.com) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday told Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to form a team of doctors to provide “correct information” to the people regarding swine flu that has claimed four lives in India.
“The prime minister has asked the health minister to set up a panel of doctors that will give correct information to the public on swine flu,” an official in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) told Inditop.
Manmohan Singh said the panel should also provide proper information to the media so that there are no misconceptions.
The official said the minister telephoned the prime minister Sunday morning to update him about the steps being taken to tackle the virus.
“The health minister assured the prime minister that there is sufficient stock of Tamiflu and people detected with the virus have been quarantined,” the official said.
“The prime minister has also asked the health minister that he should be informed immediately if there is any change in the situation,” he said.
According to the official, the prime minister had discussed with Azad the swine flu situation at Friday’s cabinet meeting.
The prime minister had earlier instructed that there be no shortage of Tamiflu.
Azad has also been told to ensure that the union health secretary meets all state health secretaries and keep the cabinet secretary updated.
A school teacher from a village near Pune and a non-resident Indian (NRI) man who had flown from the US to Ahmedabad died of swine flu Sunday.
These follow the deaths of a woman in Mumbai Saturday and of a 14-year-old girl in Pune Aug 3.
India has reported over 780 cases, of which nearly 500 patients have been cured. The most badly hit states are Delhi and Maharashtra.