So My Tg Goes To Get Tested For Swine Flu In Nong Khai...

[Tokay]

My Thai GF and child are visiting family in Nong Khai, both ill with flu symptoms for a few days. I told her to get to the hospital to get the two of them checked for swine flu, just to be safe. Since someone did die from it here, it's not worth the risk not to check if they have flu symtoms.

She calls me from the hospital to inform me that there is NOBODY there who knows how to test for swine flu or even knows anything about it! They tell her to come back in a day or two when the big doctor returns, as he is the only person there who knows anything about it or how to test for it. I told her I wanted to talk to one of the doctors so I can hear this with my own ears. He gets on her phone confirms her story. OMFG.

My first thought was, why is this idiot talking on HER phone knowing she just walked in with flu symptoms and wanting to be tested for H1N1 virus. Whatever she has, she just gave it to him. Way to go ace, now you can spread it to all of your patients, friends and family.

So now I'm thinking, if just this one hospital is unable to test people without a certain doctor being there, and are actually turning sick people away and telling them to come back (of course they won't), then how many hospitals across the country are also like this? Then, taking that into consideration, how many people really have H1N1 and simply are unable to test for it because the hospitals are untrained or unable to test for it? Based on all of this information, I'm going to go out on a limb, pull a number out of my bum and say that whatever numbers are being reported, multiply it by 20.

I just find it hard to believe (though, I suppose not too hard to believe all things considered) that an entire hospital can have no idea what is going on with H1N1 considering that it is growing here at an alarming rate.

I've sent her to another hospital now and waiting for her call. It's probably wishful thinking that another location would be any better prepared, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

[neverdie]

You expected something different, did you?

Hope ur misses and kid are okay.

[garyh]

Has anyone died from it that has

A Not already very sick from something else or

B Not got proper medical treatment.

[Tokay]

You expected something different, did you?

Hope ur misses and kid are okay.

Thanks.

To be honest, I always count on some sort of shenanigans here, but I foolishly thought with H1N1 all over the news that all the hospitals would be able to at least test people for it without making them wait days to do so.

Has anyone died from it that has

A Not already very sick from something else or

B Not got proper medical treatment.

I personally believe a lot of it is media hype. With that said, someone here just died from it and I'm not taking any chances. I'd rather pay a few bucks to be sure rather than be sorry later. At this point, ANY medical treatment would be good. Being told to come back in a day or two is just appalling.

UPDATE: Apparently because it is Sunday, many of the hospitals in her area are missing their "big doctors" and they are the only ones, who can deal with H1N1 or test for it. Perhaps all the "big" Issan doctors get together every Sunday for chicken fights or card games.

[TerryLH]

It surprises you that a doctor with seniority would want Sunday off?

[Prajak]

Which hospital ? You did not mention that. There are 3 hospitals here plus a clinic. They share a few doctors but not all. For better tests you go to Udon AEK hospital. They have better lab facilities. For Mex Flu it does not depend on the doctor but on the lab. Or try Rama Hospital in Khon Kaen. Or fly to BKK. In small cities the hospitals are for birth, death and broken legs only. This is not the Western world.

[lopburi3]

In any case current policy here is only those under 5 or over 65 are to be routinely treated with Tami Flu; and as it has to be started at earliest sign to be effective there really is not much that delayed testing can accomplish. There are only two confirmed deaths so far (both age 40 range) but undoubtedly there have been others. That said it appears to be a rather mild flu so far (over a million cases in the US but very few deaths). And most people here in Thailand have something this time of the year so it is really unlikely your GF/child are in any real danger. Thai hospitals and clinics are not set up for making tests - they normally provide shotgun medications and get to next patient.

In spite of the looks of some Bangkok hospitals Thailand is a very under served medical area with a very low doctor/patient ratio.

[Jungian]

Testing for H1N1 is not easy and it takes time. This may answer some of your questions.

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/rapid_testing.htm