1,500 turn up at Naidu hospital

PUNE: Confusion continued to prevail at the Naidu hospital till Thursday noon with hundreds of people landing up for seeking the H1N1 test. The centre at the quarantine ward witnessed scuffles between people and hospital staff because check-ups were being conducted as well as prophylactic medicines distributed there. The hospital increased the number of testing centres within the premises from two to three, but medicines were available only at the quarantine ward centre, which led to the chaos.
Policemen present in large numbers on the hospital premises were struggling to control the crowds.It was only after the hospital authorities allowed the other two centres to distribute medicines that the situation came back to normal. By evening, very few people were seen on the hospital premises. But the figure at the end of the day stood at around 1,500.
Sunil Bhambure, who was waiting in the queue, said, "I have been waiting here since 11 am and my turn hasn't come even at 1 pm. I have come here with my five-year-old child who has been suffering from fever for the past four days. She has not been responding to the medicines prescribed for ordinary flu by a general practitioner. But the doctors here are refusing to conduct the swab test."
Similar was the plight of several others who were unable to stand in the long queues because of illness. Though many were unhappy with the lack of co-ordination between the three centers, the parents of students from St Anne's high school were satisfied with the arrangements after things were streamlined.
The mother of a girl from St Anne's school, who was in the same class as another student who tested positive, said, "We had been standing in the queues, which hardly moved, since morning. The suspected cases were being sent to a ward and hence our turn never came. It was only after we shouted and let the people know of our condition that we were directed to the other centre where tests were being conducted. Once we reached there and told them that my daughter is from St Anne's, they conducted the test without any delay. They have also said that if the tests are positive, they will let us know."
The Naidu hospital was prepared for the influx of people that was expected after Wednesday's chaos. Apart from the increase in the number of test centres within the premises, they also increased the number of staff and policemen there. Many more dustbins were placed at various spots for disposing of used masks. However, the masks were seen strewn across. Masks were made available at more places than the previous two days. The hospital has also put up loudspeakers to make important announcements and to manage the crowd.