Measures reviewed to control monkeypox

LAHORE:Provincial health ministers Dr Javed Akram and Dr Jamal Nasir presided over a meeting in the office of the DG Health to discuss and review the measures for controlling monkeypox in the province.

DG Health Services Dr Ilias Gondal, Dr Jamshed of the World Health Organisation, Dr Quratul Ain of UNICEF, Additional Secretary of the Primary and Secondary Health Care Department Xr Younis, Dr Asim Altaf, Dean Institute of Public Health Dr Zarfashan Tahir, Prof of King Edward Medical University Dr Ijaz Hussain, Registrar University of Child Health Sciences Prof Dr Rashid, Dr Yadullah, Deputy Secretaries of the Department of Specialised Health Care and Medical Education Dr Bakhtiar and Dr Abdul Rehman, Brig (retd) Waheed, representative of Lahore Airport Dr Sikandar and other officers participated in the video link conference.

Dr Javed Akram and Dr Jamal Nasir reviewed the measures as the concerned officers briefed the caretaker provincial ministers in this regard. The caretaker provincial minister of the Department of Specialized Health Care and Medical Education, Dr. Javed Akram, while speaking at the meeting, said that an alert has been issued to government hospitals across the province regarding monkeypox.

Dean Institute of Public Health Dr Zarfashan Tahir has been made the focal person for monkeypox alerts and other information. Airport authorities should be on the alert for monkeypox. A helpline is also being set up for the public to get information about monkeypox. He said that there is a testing facility for monkeypox in Punjab. Beds will be allocated in hospitals with reference to monkeypox in all districts except Lahore. Precautions need to be taken to control monkeypox and guidelines have been issued to all airlines in this regard.

The caretaker provincial minister of primary and secondary health care department, Dr. Jamal Nasir, expressed his opinion and said that we should not harass the public with reference to monkeypox, but provide information. Passengers should be screened in this regard inside the plane. Hospitals in all districts should be informed about monkeypox. Instructions have been issued for allocating beds and providing PCR kits and necessary testing facilities in DHQ hospitals.

Dr. Jamal Nasir said that separate wards will be allocated in the hospitals of both departments. Medicines to prevent monkeypox, a comprehensive action plan will be prepared for the procurement and supply chain. In this regard, the proposal of vaccine purchase is also under consideration.

Meanwhile, on the directions of the Punjab government, the Post Graduate Medical Institute/AMC Principal Prof Dr Al-Fareed Zafar has formed a 6-member committee comprising senior professors & consultants of Lahore General Hospital to make proper and comprehensive treatment arrangements for monkeypox cases.

The members of the committee include Prof. Aneela Asghar, Prof M Faheem Afzal, Dr M Irfan Malik, Dr. Ghazala Rubby, Dr Syed Jaffer Hussain.

Principal PGMI appealed to people to ensure implementation of precautionary measures while traveling abroad and wear face masks, avoid shaking hands and do not forget to wash hands with soap so that the disease is not transmitted from one person to another. Prof. Al-Fareed further said that every citizen has to play its role to overcome the situation.