Srinagar, Jun 2: Amid growing global concern over the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, Jammu and Kashmir has intensified surveillance and preparedness measures across both divisions, while the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday issued a fresh public health advisory on the disease.
Health officials said surveillance and monitoring mechanisms have been strengthened across districts, with medical staff sensitised about symptoms, risk factors and response protocols related to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). No Ebola case has been reported in India so far, according to the Union Health Ministry.
A senior official in the J&K Health Department said all District Disease Surveillance Officers (DDSOs) have been alerted and instructed to remain vigilant.
“Symptoms of Ebola, high-risk categories and surveillance measures have already been communicated to health staff across Jammu and Kashmir,” the official said, adding that the administration remains on alert as a precautionary measure.
As part of preparedness efforts, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, recently constituted a dedicated committee for Ebola preparedness and surveillance following directions from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The committee, chaired by Director SKIMS and Executive Officer State Cancer Institute, Prof Ashraf Ganaie, has been tasked with overseeing preparedness, preventive measures, surveillance, quarantine, containment and public awareness regarding Ebola Virus Disease.
Heads of multiple departments at SKIMS have been included as members, while Dr Ghulam Hassan Yattoo, Head of the Department of Hospital Administration, has been designated as nodal officer responsible for coordinating Ebola preparedness and response measures at the institute. He will also coordinate with the nodal officer appointed by the Director Health Services, Kashmir.
Earlier this week, Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu conducted a mock drill to assess preparedness for handling potential Ebola cases. Officials said a 28-bed isolation ward has been established at the institution, while additional quarantine and management facilities have been designated at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, Gangyal.
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday advised individuals who have travelled from or transited through Ebola-affected countries within the past 21 days to closely monitor their health and remain alert to symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding.
The ministry advised such persons to isolate themselves immediately and inform local health authorities if symptoms appear. A round-the-clock national health helpline, 1075, has also been activated for assistance and information.
The advisory comes amid an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda, where health authorities and the World Health Organisation are monitoring the situation closely.
