A meeting was held in the office of the DG Health under the chairmanship of the supervising provincial health ministers, Dr. Javed Karam and Dr. Jamal Nasir, in which DG Health Services Dr. Ilias Gondal, Dr. Jamshed of the World Health Organization, Dr. Qaratul Ain of UNICEF, Additional Secretary of the Primary and Secondary Health Care Department Xr Younis, Dr. Asim Altaf, Dean Institute of Public Health Dr. Zarfashan Tahir, Professor of King Edward Medical University Dr. Ijaz Hussain, Registrar University of Child Health Sciences Professor Dr. Janid Rashid, Dr. Yadullah, Deputy Secretaries of Department of Specialized Health Care and Medical Education Dr. Bakhtiar and Dr. Abdul Rehman, Brigadier (R) Waheed, representative of Lahore Airport Dr. Sikandar and other officers participated in the video link conference. Dr. Javed Akram and Dr. Jamal Nasir reviewed the measures taken to control monkey pox in detail in the province while the concerned officers briefed the caretake provincial ministers in this regard. The caretaker provincial minister of the Department of Specialized Health Care and Medical Education, Dr. Javed Akram, while speaking at the meeting, said that an alert has been issued to government hospitals across the province regarding monkeypox. Children's hospital for children and general hospital for adults have been allocated in Lahore with reference to monkeypox. 2 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Pakistan so far. Dean Institute of Public Health Dr. Zarfashan Tahir has been made the focal person for monkeypox alerts and other information. Airport authorities should be on the alert for monkeypox. A helpline is also being set up for the public to get information about monkeypox. He said that there is a testing facility for monkeypox in Punjab. Beds will be allocated in hospitals with reference to monkeypox in all districts except Lahore. Precautions need to be taken to control monkeypox and guidelines have been issued to all airlines in this regard. The caretaker provincial minister of primary and secondary health care department, Dr. Jamal Nasir, expressed his opinion and said that we should not harass the public with reference to monkey pox, but provide information. Passengers should be screened in this regard inside the plane. Hospitals in all districts should be informed about monkey pox. Instructions have been issued for allocating beds and providing PCR kits and necessary testing facilities in DHQ hospitals. Dr. Jamal Nasir said that separate wards will be allocated in the hospitals of both departments. Medicines to prevent monkeypox, a comprehensive action plan will be prepared for procurement and supply chain. In this regard, the proposal of vaccine purchase is also under consideration.
