Government struggling to accommodate the influx of patients flocking to the flu clinic set up at the state run Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) amid the swine flu epidemic, has decided to convert the public school adjacent to the hospital as a temporary clinic.
IGMH said the flu clinic at Thaajuddeen School would be in operation from sunset on Tuesday and would provide round the clock outpatient services.
Patients that need to be admitted then would be immediately transferred to IGMH.
The spread of swine flu has reached serious proportions, especially in the capital with over 500 people getting checkups at the flu clinic in the past two days.
HPA has declared the spread as an epidemic and urged the public for caution.
Health ministry has also launched a flu clinic in the reclaimed suburb Hulhumale but has urged the public to seek home remedies unless the symptoms become too severe.
Health Ministry has cautioned against any unnecessary travel over the school holidays over the spread of the H1N1 virus, more commonly knows as swine flu across the archipelago.
The travel advisory was issued after the government closed all public schools in an attempt to halt the spread of the disease.
During a joint emergency press conference late Monday, privately run ADK hospital representative in the task force Dr Abdulla Niyaf said closing schools was only one step against the spread of the disease and advised the people to avoid public places.
He also advised against making any unnecessary travel arrangements over the school break, as it may contribute towards the spreading of the disease.
"The school break opens the door for the spread of the disease, as an increased amount of people from the islands visit Male for various purposes. So we advice against making any unnecessary travel as that would help us curb the spread from Male to the islands," Niyaf explained.
