Swine fever, not Swine flu : Clever use of term, not the answer
- Sangai Express Editorial :: April 26, 2013 -

An overkill ? Maybe, but there are times when an overkill may prove more beneficial than sheer indifference.

The State Veterinary Department has confirmed Swine Fever and in the process has also taken the trouble of explaining the difference between Swine Fever and Swine Flu.

Swine Fever infects pigs while Swine Flu refers to human infection. So far, so good. But there is a yawning gap somewhere. How do humans get infected with Swine Flu ?

The Sangai Express is certainly not an expert nor does it claim to be an expert on this, but it could very well be a case of the virus that causes Swine Fever turning into Swine Flu when it infects humans.

Or is this too presumptuous or way off the mark ?

Unfortunate that none of the reporters present at the press conference convened by the experts of the State Veterinary Department deemed it fit to raise this question and clear any doubts.

More unfortunate too is the failure on the part of the State Veterinary Department to elaborate on this crucial aspect, for after all it involves the health of the people.

With Swine Fever getting the official stamp here, the process of mass vaccination of pigs will soon be set rolling. This too is fine and good.

Significantly, 5000 vaccines have already been obtained from the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biological Science, Madhya Pradesh.

Not jumping the gun, but this could well boil down to a tacit admission that the unauthorised vaccine made in Korea has not had the desired effect but there still has been no explanation on how the Korean made vaccine was prescribed in the first place.

Does not need to stretch the mind to understand why this was not spelt out. Side stepping or keeping mum on uncomfortable question is the best option of covering up tracks. This is a given.

So many unanswered questions still now. If 5000 vaccines can be procured from an institute from Madhya Pradesh at such a short notice, then what stopped the State Veterinary Department from doing the same earlier, though it must have been clear that the Korean made vaccine would not be effective here at all.

There may not be any virus called Korean Virus. But this is besides the point. The point is the virus strands that cause Swine Fever in India and Korea are different.

The logical conclusion then would be that the vaccine produced in Korea would not be effective on the pigs in India.

Clever attempts to phrase words and side step the real issue will not cut ice with the keen observers. This is what should register in the minds of the people helming the affairs of the State Veterinary Department.

No need to panic is the re-assuring word that has come from the State Veterinary Department. This again is fine and no one has pressed the panic button as yet.

But try telling this to the pig rearer who has lost at least 14 fully grown pigs with many others still ailing as well as the others who face a grim future.

It was a positive move on the part of the Veterinary Department to address the media on the present status, but there are still too many crucial points that have not been answered or addressed to.

Who was responsible for prescribing the unauthorised Korean made vaccine ?

Who was/is the agency given the supply order ?

The public have the right to know these answers.