Health Dept responds to WHO epidemic warning
Under the strategy the department would set up Disease Early Warning System to detect the outbreak of epidemics.
LAHORE:
The Health Department has devised a strategy to check the spread of epidemics in flood-affected areas as predicted in a World Health Organisation (WHO) report.
It has also been endorsed by the Punjab chief minister in a high level meeting a few days ago.
The Health Department documents available to The Express Tribune state that flood victims could be affected by outburst of epidemics including Gastroenteritis, Malaria and Measles. Under the strategy, the department would set up a Disease Early Warning System (DEWS) to detect the outbreak of epidemics in time. The department would also form Epidemic Response Teams (ERT) at provincial, regional and district levels. These teams would comprise public health specialists, epidemiologists, medics and paramedics.
The basic function of the provincial ERT will be to figure out disease trends through data review and to guide the regional and district teams on prevention and control measures. A provincial ERT would consist of a director CDC, an epidemiologist, a bacteriologist and a health education expert.
The regional ERT will provide laboratory facilities to conduct sample tests and support district teams in controlling epidemics. Regional ERTs would include pathologists, professors of community medicine and pediatrics, physicians, pediatricians, public heath experts and pharmacists.
The district ERTs would be responsible for detecting and controlling epidemics and providing required logistics to the other two teams for prevention measures.
Each district ERT would consist of a medical superintendent of the concerned district headquarter (DHQ) hospital, a pediatrician, a deputy district officer (DDO-Health) and a pharmacist.
The Health Department has assigned flood-affected districts to the medical colleges in the following order:
Nishtar Medical College is responsible for Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan districts, Quaid-i-Azam Medical College for Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar districts, Sheikh Zayed Medical College Rahim Yar Khan for Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, Rawalpindi Medical College for the districts of Rawalpindi and Sargodha division, Punjab Medical College for Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Layyah, Allama Medical College for the districts in Sahiwal division, Services Institute of Medical Sciences the districts in Lahore division and King Edward Medical University for the districts in Gujranwala division.
Each ERT would be equipped with sufficient medical kits, other required supplies and transport, according to the Health Department documents.
The ERTs would be mandated to detect the source of epidemic outbreak, to advice the said district on control measures and to provide treatment to the patients.
The documents prescribe the following measures to avoid epidemics outbreak:
For Gastroenteritis: The administration should ensure temporary latrine facilities, safe drinking water, small filtration plants and Aqua pure tablets are available in all IDP camps. Besides, the public should be told to donate dry and packed food items and the bodies of dead animals should be disposed of as quickly as possible.
For Malaria: Vector control measures such as residual and larvicidal spray along with measures for early detection and prompt treatment should be undertaken. Also the supply of insecticide-treated nets and mosquito repellents should be ensured when the water recedes and people return to their homes.
For Measles and Polio: Mass vaccination of children under five years of age living in camps. Vaccination in several districts in collaboration with UN agencies has already started.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2010.
The Health Department has devised a strategy to check the spread of epidemics in flood-affected areas as predicted in a World Health Organisation (WHO) report.
It has also been endorsed by the Punjab chief minister in a high level meeting a few days ago.
The Health Department documents available to The Express Tribune state that flood victims could be affected by outburst of epidemics including Gastroenteritis, Malaria and Measles. Under the strategy, the department would set up a Disease Early Warning System (DEWS) to detect the outbreak of epidemics in time. The department would also form Epidemic Response Teams (ERT) at provincial, regional and district levels. These teams would comprise public health specialists, epidemiologists, medics and paramedics.
The basic function of the provincial ERT will be to figure out disease trends through data review and to guide the regional and district teams on prevention and control measures. A provincial ERT would consist of a director CDC, an epidemiologist, a bacteriologist and a health education expert.
The regional ERT will provide laboratory facilities to conduct sample tests and support district teams in controlling epidemics. Regional ERTs would include pathologists, professors of community medicine and pediatrics, physicians, pediatricians, public heath experts and pharmacists.
The district ERTs would be responsible for detecting and controlling epidemics and providing required logistics to the other two teams for prevention measures.
Each district ERT would consist of a medical superintendent of the concerned district headquarter (DHQ) hospital, a pediatrician, a deputy district officer (DDO-Health) and a pharmacist.
The Health Department has assigned flood-affected districts to the medical colleges in the following order:
Nishtar Medical College is responsible for Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan districts, Quaid-i-Azam Medical College for Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar districts, Sheikh Zayed Medical College Rahim Yar Khan for Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, Rawalpindi Medical College for the districts of Rawalpindi and Sargodha division, Punjab Medical College for Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Layyah, Allama Medical College for the districts in Sahiwal division, Services Institute of Medical Sciences the districts in Lahore division and King Edward Medical University for the districts in Gujranwala division.
Each ERT would be equipped with sufficient medical kits, other required supplies and transport, according to the Health Department documents.
The ERTs would be mandated to detect the source of epidemic outbreak, to advice the said district on control measures and to provide treatment to the patients.
The documents prescribe the following measures to avoid epidemics outbreak:
For Gastroenteritis: The administration should ensure temporary latrine facilities, safe drinking water, small filtration plants and Aqua pure tablets are available in all IDP camps. Besides, the public should be told to donate dry and packed food items and the bodies of dead animals should be disposed of as quickly as possible.
For Malaria: Vector control measures such as residual and larvicidal spray along with measures for early detection and prompt treatment should be undertaken. Also the supply of insecticide-treated nets and mosquito repellents should be ensured when the water recedes and people return to their homes.
For Measles and Polio: Mass vaccination of children under five years of age living in camps. Vaccination in several districts in collaboration with UN agencies has already started.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2010.