ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) experienced a mild panic on Tuesday as reports emerged that a man suspected of being infected with the Ebola Virus had been bought into the facility for treatment.

A number of patients left the hospital and others criticised the administration for allowing the patient to be admitted, even if he was taken to the isolation ward. But allaying these fears, Pims Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram said that he had personally examined the patient and was confident that he did not have Ebola.

He also said that the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) were in the loop in this regard.

“[A private hospital] declared him to be an Ebola suspect and sent him to Pims. I have verified that the patient came to Pakistan nearly a month ago and the incubation period of the Ebola virus is around two weeks. He cannot have Ebola because if he did, he would in a really bad state right now,” he said.

Dr Akram also clarified that the Ebola epidemic is sweeping through West Africa, but Uganda, where the patient was nearly a month ago, is quite a long way from the affected countries.

Tasawar Hussain, the 41-year-old from a village near Pind Dadan Khan, was brought to Pims in an ambulance on Tuesday and hospital staff was told that he was suffering from Ebola.

When Dr Akram got word of his arrival, he personally examined the patient after taking all necessary precautions and donning protective gear. He told Dawn that even though the patient did not appear to be suffering from the dangerous virus, he had been placed in the hospital’s isolation ward and would be monitored by a team led by Dr Rizwan Qazi.

Patients, attendants consider leaving hospital due to fear of infection; hospital chief maintains there’s no need for concern

A father of three, Mr Hussain told Dawn that he worked in a cement factory and had visited the East African nation of Uganda for training purposes.

“I came back to Pakistan on Nov 3 and was feeling fine. But over the last few days, I developed body pain, cough and bloody sputum, so I decided to come to a hospital,” he said.

He told Dawn that he visited a private hospital in Islamabad, which referred him to Pims, saying that he presented Ebola-like symptoms. “There were four of us who went to Uganda and everybody is fine. I have asked the doctors at Pims to discharge me, but they are waiting for the test results to confirm that its definitely not Ebola,” he said.

Mr Hussain said that before coming to seek medical help, he had not told his wife or children because he did not want to worry them. But when he was admitted to Pims, he got in touch with his brother and told him to break the news to the family. Pims staffer Kanwal Salman, who was deputed in the isolation ward on Tuesday, said that samples taken from the patient had been sent for tests.

“Although the patient is out of danger, he will remain under observation as long as his tests don’t come back. He can be discharged after that, but it will take a few days,” she said.

Attendants concerned

Some patients and attendants, upon learning that a suspected Ebola patient had been admitted to Medical Ward 2, reacted sharply.

Adnan Abbasi said that he was considering asking his relative to get discharged. “My relative is out of danger so I don’t want to take a risk with anyone from my family,” he said.

Ummad Hasan, a police officer who was attending to his aunt, also in the same ward, said he was not aware that a patient suspected of having Ebola was present in the ward.

“The hospital administration should not admit such patients in general wards because others could be affected,” he said.

Published in Dawn December 3rd , 2014