Farkhund Yousafzai
Islamabad, 17 August 2024 (TDI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed for keeping strict vigilance on spread of Monkeypox after the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared its outbreak in different countries as public health emergency of global concern.
Chairing an important meeting on the steps being taken against spread of mpox virus, the prime minister ordered for ensuring effective screening measures at all airports, seaports and borders of the country, besides instructing the border health services to keep full surveillance of the situation.
He also asked the National Command and Operations Center to keep alertness and daily evaluate the situation and asked for provision of all necessary gadgets for the evaluation of mpox virus.
The meeting was attended by PM’s Coordinator on National Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik, Federal Secretary National Health Nadeem Mehboob, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik, chief secretaries, chief commissioner ICT and other relevant senior officials, PM Office Media Wing said in a press note.
The prime minister further directed for strengthening of coordination among the provincial governments, governments of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad and Jammu Kashmir.
He asked to start an effective and complete awareness drive, besides hinting to get weekly briefing over the mpox situation.
The meeting was apprised of the situation about the spread of the virus. A man in District Mardan was diagnosed as carrier of the virus. The resident had just returned to country from abroad where he was employed. The patient was quarantined and his condition was out of danger, the meeting was further apprised.
It was told that no local transmission of mpox was detected in the country. The WHO, on August 14, had declared spread of virus as public health emergency after which the NCOC had issued national advisory. The important instructions in this regard had been issued, the meeting was briefed.
The federal and provincial governments were launching awareness campaigns in this regard, whereas Civil Aviation Authority would supervise the flights arriving from abroad.
The provincial governments, governments of GB, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Islamabad Capital Territory administration had allocated isolation wards and beds in the largest hospitals for the possible mpox virus cases.
All the precautionary steps were being taken, it was further added.
