Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review preparedness for the management of Ebola virus disease (EVD), according to a ministry statement.
There are three countries currently affected by Ebola virus disease – the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.
The statement said: “The Federal Minister of Health reviewed the preparedness and monitoring measures to prevent Ebola virus disease with senior officials in the ministry.”
The Health Minister directed that Ebola screening arrangements at all entry points across the country, including airports, seaports and land border crossings, remain fully vigilant and robust.
He directed the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to keep all necessary arrangements for tracking, testing and surveillance in a state of constant readiness.
The government confirmed that no case of Ebola infection has been reported in the country so far; However, all preparedness measures are being strengthened as a precautionary step.
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Based on the directives of the Minister of Health, the Minister of Health also chaired a joint review meeting with officials from various relevant ministries and agencies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), while the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has classified it as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.
As of 21 May, 746 suspected cases and 176 deaths had been reported among suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the World Health Organization, 85 confirmed cases have been reported so far, including two in Uganda, and 10 deaths, including one in Uganda, out of confirmed cases in both countries.
Countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, including South Sudan, are estimated to be at high risk of transmission.
Ebola virus disease is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by infection with the Bundibugyo virus strain of the Ebola virus. It is a serious disease with a high mortality rate. At present, no vaccines or specific treatments have been approved to prevent or treat Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain.
