ISLAMABAD: The government and UN agencies on Wednesday devised a strategy to prevent the spread of Ebola virus in Pakistan.

According to an official statement, the meeting was presided over by Minister of National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar.

The meeting was informed that scanning of people would be ensured at entry points of the country and high quality training sessions arranged for health officials. People would also be made aware of the disease.

Also read: Health ministry issues Ebola virus advisory

It was also decided to set up isolation rooms in hospitals for Ebola patients.

“We have taken measures to ensure capacity-building of health officials in identifying suspect cases and managing infected cases,” the minister said.

In the meeting, the World Health Organisation (WHO) also committed to provide extensive trainings to the hospital staff.

It is pertinent to mention here that Ebola virus is an endemic in Africa with a fatality rate of up to 90 per cent.

It is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads through human to human contact.

The virus has a lot of similarity with HIV/Aids but it is more dangerous.

Incubation period of HIV is almost 10 years whereas that of Ebola is just a week.

The method of transmission, however, is the same.

Although the virus is not endemic in Pakistan, people coming from West Africa can bring it here, especially officials of Pakistani peace missions stationed in African countries.

Vice Chancellor of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Prof Javed Akram, while talking to Dawn, said thermo scan machines should be installed at airports to detect people with Ebola and other viruses because once a virus enters a country, it becomes difficult to eradicate it.

Moreover isolation wards should be established at airports to shift patients who are carrying Ebola.

“If a person is diagnosed with the virus, he should be kept in a room having negative pressure so that air does not come out of the room. The virus can also travel in air. The healthcare workers should be careful while treating a patient,” he said.

Replying to a question regarding symptoms of the disease, he said a person affected with Ebola suffers from fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.

This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding.

“Close physical contacts with Ebola patients should be avoided. People and health staff should wear gloves and masks while visiting the patient. Regular hand washing is required after visiting Ebola patients,” he said.

“As far as I know diagnostic facilities of Ebola virus are only available with National Institute of Health (NIH). There should be more laboratories to diagnose the disease to ensure timely treatment of the patient,” Dr Akram said.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2014