LAHORE: The Punjab government has beefed up measures aimed at preventing spread of monkeypox. As a part of fresh measures, quarantine centres will be set up for suspected monkeypox passengers at six airports within Punjab. Space is being allocated for quarantine centres at airports as per WHO approved protocols. Other passengers and employees will not be allowed to enter the quarantine centres.
The federal and provincial staff posted at the airports will be vaccinated against monkeypox. It has been decided by the Punjab government to train doctors, nurses and paramedics of the health department regarding monkeypox. Quarantine wards will also be established in hospitals. Civil Aviation has been directed to get implemented SOPs regarding monkeypox by all airlines.
On the instructions of Chief Minister Punjab, Provincial Health Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique and Khawaja Imran Nazir visited the monkeypox screening counter and other areas at the Lahore airport.
The head of the Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Punjab government Prof Javed Akram also accompanied the provincial health ministers. During the visit, the monkeypox screening facilities established for travellers coming from abroad were reviewed. Provincial Health Ministers also chaired consultative meeting with civil aviation, FIA and other officers at the airport. In the meeting, some important decisions were taken to prevent monkeypox.
Speaking on this occasion, Prof Javed Akram said that all the areas have been visited along with the airport authorities. It may be added that Dr Javed Akram had complained that the airport authorities are not cooperating, and when it came to training the airline staff, no one was sent for the purpose.
The Technical Working Group (TWG) had proposed establishing the permanent quarantine facilities at the international airports and borders to check the disease spread. The TWG also warned that Punjab was at a greater risk of outbreak of the disease due to its large population and poor facilities at the international airports and borders if any positive case surfaces with the patient having international travel history.
“The suspected or confirmed monkeypox patients should not be allowed to enter the city and must be quarantined at the international airports and the borders soon after their arrival,” Prof Akram said. In the past, he said, the medical and public health experts had proposed to the higher authorities to develop quarantine facilities and other health infrastructure after dengue and the Covid had entered Pakistan through international airports and borders, but to no avail.
“The TWG has also recommended to the authorities to locally manufacture the anti-viral drugs for the treatment of monkeypox,” Prof Akram said. He stressed that airport officials have a critical role to play in preventing the spread of monkeypox and urged them to take the necessary precautions before it is too late.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024