Provincial departments to take coordinated measures for stopping the transfer of Ebola : CS Punjab

Lahore: Chief Secretary Punjab Naveed Akram Cheema has directed the federal and provincial departments to take coordinated measures for stopping the transfer of Ebola virus to Pakistan and ensure implementation on guidelines of World Health Organization and SOPs. He said that foreign office should seek information from the embassies regarding persons from African countries affected by Ebola coming to Pakistan and a mechanism should be devised for getting information from different airlines in this regard.

He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting of steering committee for reviewing steps taken for eradication of polio and checking transfer of Ebola virus to Pakistan at Civil Secretariat, here today.

Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, elected representatives, Secretary Health, Secretary Home, Secretary Information, Commissioners, DCOs, Civil Aviation Authority, Director General Federal Health Department and representatives of FIA, immigration, Foreign Office, Airport Authorities, senior officers of Health Department Punjab, World Health Organization, Bill Gates Foundation and Rotary Club attended the meeting. Officers of provincial and federal departments informed the meeting about the details regarding checking of Ebola virus. Federal Director General Health told that rapid response team has been constituted in Islamabad and the provinces should also set up such teams.

Representative of WHO Dr. Jamshaid apprised about the guidelines of WHO for checking Ebola virus. Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik told that Provincial Health Department is taking steps for checking Ebola virus in accordance with the guidelines of WHO.

The Chief Secretary directed that implementation on guidelines of Health Department should be ensured. He stressed upon federal departments to work more actively regarding the movement of passengers from affected African countries to Pakistan. All institutions of Punjab government will extend cooperation to them in this regard, he added.

A subcommittee headed by Advisor Health Punjab Khawaja Salman Rafique was constituted which include officers of Provincial Health Department, Home, Civil Aviation Authority, Immigration, FIA, Federal Health Department, ASF and other concerned departments. This committee will supervise the measures regarding eradication of Ebola virus and submit its report again after ten days. The Chief Secretary also directed all concerned departments to nominate their focal persons for the eradication of Ebola virus.

The meeting reviewed polio situation and anti-polio campaign in low season. Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik gave a briefing. He told that a plan of recruiting separate staff for campaign against polio and other diseases has been prepared so that a separate staff could be available for polio campaign on permanent basis. He apprised the measures of national campaign of anti-polio to be started from December 8 during which polio drops would be administered to one crore and 80 lakh children. The Chief Secretary gave directions to police authorities to provide foolproof security to polio workers.

Naveed Akram Cheema said that although work has been carried out devotedly for the eradication of polio in Punjab and efforts of Health Department are appreciable as a result of which only three cases of polio have been reported so far in the province yet the real happiness will be on that day when the entire country will be made polio free. He directed to continue existing efforts and measures for eradication of polio.