- PM’s coordinator says enhanced surveillance and screening mechanisms put in place at all airports and points of entry
- PM directs NCOC to remain alert and evaluate the situation daily
- Also tasks the national centre with ensuring all required gadgets and kits for evaluating virus
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad has announced that the government has formulated a comprehensive strategy to protect the people from mpox, advising the public against worrying.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Saturday, the PM’s coordinator stated that people need not worry as only one case was reported in the country. “Enhanced surveillance and screening mechanisms have been put in place at all airports and points of entry”, Dr Ahmad informed, adding that laboratories were allocated for diagnosis in all provinces and the federal capital.
The PM’s coordinator said cases were reported from Africa and travellers from Africa, America and the Gulf countries would be monitored.
Mpox, formerly monkeypox, can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the recent outbreak of the disease as a global public health emergency on Wednesday after the new variant of the virus was identified.
Dr Ahmad said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the federal capital and provinces have taken steps on a joint priority basis. He said the Ministry of Health was ensuring continuous monitoring on a daily basis and the government was closely monitoring the situation.
He said the ministry was in full contact with the provinces and a daily meeting was being conducted on the prime minister’s instructions. Dr Ahmad appealed to the public to isolate at home if their family had a travel history or mpox symptoms.
Dr Ahmad instructed the public to contact a qualified doctor and follow their instructions in case of showing any symptoms of mpox.
He said that symptoms could take 10 to 15 days to appear and spending too much time with the patient could spread the infection.
“It is better if the patient is quarantined,” he said, adding that fever medicines were used for mpox.
PM review measures being taken against viral infection’s spread
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz ordered strict vigilance on the spread of the disease while chairing a meeting on the measures being taken against the viral infection’s spread.
PM Shehbaz instructed that effective screening measures be ensured at all airports, seaports and borders, besides asking Border Health Services to keep complete surveillance of the situation.
The premier also directed the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) to remain alert and evaluate the situation on a daily basis, task the national command centre with ensuring the provision of all required gadgets and kits for evaluating the virus.
PM Shehbaz asked for the launch of an effective awareness campaign, hinting that he would have a weekly briefing on the mpox situation.
The meeting’s participants were apprised of the situation about the spread of the virus. They were briefed that a person in Mardan district, who had returned from abroad, was diagnosed as having been infected by the virus. He was quarantined and his condition was out of danger.
The meeting was informed that no local transmission of mpox was detected in the country. The members were further informed that the federal and provincial governments were launching awareness drives and the Civil Aviation Authority would supervise the flights arriving from abroad.
Further details were also provided, including that the provincial governments, governments of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad Capital Territory administration had allocated isolation wards and beds in the largest hospitals for possible cases and all precautionary measures were in place.
‘PIMS Hospital designated as Isolation Management Unit for mpox cases’
On the other hand, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz visited Islamabad Airport to review the screening process for incoming international passengers.
According to a spokesperson for the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), DC Nawaz said health department personnel were deployed at the airport for thorough screening of every passenger arriving from broad.
On the occasion, The DC instructed that the screening process be expedited to ensure the timely identification of any potential mpox cases.
If any symptoms were detected, the individual would be isolated and transferred to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital, the DC said.
He added that PIMS Hospital was designated as an Isolation Management Unit for mpox cases.
A special focal person was appointed to oversee the unit’s operations, ensuring that all necessary precautions and treatments were effectively managed.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson said strict surveillance continued at domestic airports for mpox and special arrangements were in place for hospitals in Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It said that the director general of the KP health services visited the facilities and reviewed arrangements and protocols for the prevention of mpox.
The statement quoted the Peshawar airport administration as saying that people suffering from mpox would be transferred from quarantine to the police hospital by Rescue 1122.
