India on alert for Ebola, Health Minister Nadda assesses preparedness | Today’s news
NEW DELHI: The Center on Monday stepped up surveillance of Ebola and reviewed national preparedness measures as the outbreak in central Africa continued to spread, sparking heightened global concern.
Health Minister JP Nadda chaired a high-level review meeting with senior officials and ordered authorities to keep screening, tracking and testing systems on high alert, even as the government said no case of Ebola had been reported in India so far.
Nadda also asked the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to keep surveillance, testing and tracking systems in a constant state of readiness.
The heightened surveillance comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) flagged a surge in international transmission linked to the ongoing Ebola epidemic in Africa.
“Ebola screening arrangements at all points of entry across the country, including airports, seaports and land border crossings, must remain fully vigilant and robust,” the health ministry said in a statement. “No case of Ebola has been reported in the country yet, however all preparedness measures are being strengthened as a precautionary measure.”
The current Ebola outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. According to the WHO, the epidemic has so far resulted in 746 suspected cases and 176 deaths.
WHO has designated the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern, while the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified it as a continental security public health emergency.
The latest review builds on earlier measures taken by India’s health authorities. Mint had earlier reported that the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) had issued a travel advisory aimed at travelers arriving from high-risk countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.
In an earlier meeting chaired by the health minister, detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) were shared among states and Union territories to ensure uniform preparedness. Standard operating procedures included pre- and post-arrival monitoring, isolation protocols and clinical management measures.
Under these guidelines, major transit hubs, including Indira Gandhi International Airport, have updated travel protocols to include non-contact heat shielding and self-declaration requirements for inbound passengers.
Senior health officials have urged citizens to remain calm, saying the domestic risk remains low and pointing to India’s experience implementing containment protocols during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Africa.
