The Union Government is on high alert regarding Ebola; therefore, Mr. JP Nadda, the Union Minister for Health, has ordered all State Health Departments to maintain and further strengthen all preparedness measures across the Country. The Minister held a meeting with the Senior Officials of the Union Health Ministry to assess India’s level of preparedness and confirm that all systems to prevent the outbreak of Ebola are in place.
The Minister’s intention was to stress to those in attendance how critical communication and coordination among the multiple Federal Agencies involved with preventing any potential outbreak of Ebola in India is. Similarly, as a result of Mr. Nadda’s direction, the Union Secretary of Health called for a joint meeting of staff members from different Ministries/Departments to discuss preparedness and responsiveness options.
The Union Minister has also instructed all Agencies to continue with robust and effective screening of all passengers travelling to India from any location through all entry points (airport, seaports, and land borders) into India to identify and isolate potential cases of Ebola prior to the suspected individual’s arrival in India. In addition to the above, all Federal Officials should remain vigilant for the early detection and reporting of any suspected case of Ebola upon their arrival in India.
Nadda gave mandates to both the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Centres for Disease Control to keep their tracking systems, testing systems, and monitoring systems continually functional. In addition, they have been asked to also provide more staff in their laboratories and create better emergency response plans as part of precautionary measures.
The Centre has ramped up its efforts to prevent Ebola after the WHO declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have also designated Ebola as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.
According to officials, all points of entry will remain under close surveillance, and agencies are working together to ensure that if there are any suspected cases, they can take appropriate action immediately. The Centre has assured the country that it is doing everything possible to protect the health and safety of its citizens, as well as being prepared for future health emergencies.