Sindh Health dept takes preventive steps to contain H1N1 influenza virus
KARACHI, (MILLAT ONLINE):Sindh Health department has chalked out a
strategy to prevent and cope with the recent outbreak of H1N1 influenza
in the province.
An urgent meeting was chaired by the Special Secretary Health Akram
Ali Khowaja to adopt initiative measures for the prevention of the
predicted epidemic situation in Sindh, said a statement issued on Thursday.
The representatives from WHO, Health Department and other public,
private sectors attended the meeting held here the other day.
The H1N1 (swine flu pandemic) strain, which had affected 38 people in
less than a month in Punjab and other parts of the country.
“We are taking all possible measures to ensure that no such incidence
could occur in Sindh. We are regularly monitoring the situation and
collecting information from Hospitals on daily basis. In case there are reports for
such cases, rigorous measures would be taken in the vicinity
and the necessary arrangements will be adopted,’ Khowaja
said.
“For the investigation of particular cases, the Provincial Disease
Surveillance Response Unit (PDSRU) and Regional Disease Surveillance
Response Unit (RDSRU) have been activated. PDSRU will cover the rural
areas of Sindh while RDSRU will monitor the Karachi region.
Awareness Campaigns through different platforms including newspaper,
electronic and social media will be launched immediately.
An Advisory for Prevention and Control of Influenza will also be
communicated to general masses through different mediums. The hospitals
will display banners, pamphlets and posters in their premises”, Khowaja
further added.
It was decided to procure 20,000 doses of Trivalent (preventive
vaccines against H1N1 virus), diagnostic material and kits on urgent
basis. The WHO and UNICEF will also be requested to provide 80,000 dozes
of the vaccine.
The isolation Rooms shall be established/activated at Taluka Head
Quarter/District Head Quarter Hospitals and other teaching hospitals, he
added.
Director General Health Dr Akhlaque Ahmed Khan shared that “all the
public and private hospitals will furnish `Zero Reporting’ on daily basis
to the department and there shall be `Control Rooms’ at all districts
headquarters and DG offices which will be monitored by the senior official
of the Department”.
The meeting was also attended by Dr. Sharifa Akhtar, PTL- WHO Sindh;
Dr. Tahir Aziz Shaikh, DHSK; Dr. Kamran Rizvi, Deputy Director Preventive
DHSK; Dr. M. Asif Syed, Technical Officer and Dr. S Zafar Mehdi, Officer
on Special Duty.