If swine flu is rising, blame it on home cure

Bangalore: Doctors are not surprised that the city has emerged with the highest swine flu death toll in India. Bangaloreans, who suspect they are suffering from flu-like symptoms, are increasingly resorting to self-medication, without consulting any specialist; nor are they going to hospitals, as they fear getting the infection from those already infected there.

Self-medication is emerging as a dubious trend, one which is endangering the suspected cases of swine flu, either through wrong medication, or under-medication. No deaths have so far been directly attributed to self-medication, but doctors have frequently reported that many of those who have died due to swine flu have got admitted to hospitals late and, that too, in a serious condition.

"This indicates that the unfortunate patients have either ignored their condition, hoping that they would come out of it, or have tried self-medication, which failed," said a doctor, who did not wish to be named.

The doctor is not wrong. Last week, Praveen Kumar, a 26-year old investment banker, working in Domlur, returned home with high fever. But he did not visit a doctor, nor did he go to any of the hospitals designated to diagnose and treat swine flu.

He feared that he would catch the infection from those suffering from the dreaded disease. A few months ago, Praveen had suffered from a viral fever, and he thought the medication prescribed for that fever would do, to help him recover from his present sickness. "So I just referred back to the previous prescription, and bought the same medication from a chemist," he said.
from in.com