Isolation Wards Established In KMC Hospitals

KARACHI- Medical and Health Services Department of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has established Isolation Wards in four major health facilities of KMC, to provide treatment for suspected Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) cases during Eid ul Azha.

Senior Director, Medical  and Health Services, KMC, Dr. Birbal Genani stated that, the isolation wards have been setup in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH),  Landhi Medical Complex Hospital, Gazdarabad General Hospital and Sarfaraz Rafiqui Shaheed Hospital.

The doctors, nurses and paramedical staff have been instructed to take preventive measures while treating suspected Congo patients. The contaminated needles, surgical instruments and human waste should be safely disposed off, using appropriate decontamination procedures.

He also added that, all the previous and current Medical Superintendents have also been directed to take precautions, and the hospitals are ordered to take adequate preventive measures while treating patients, who have been exposed to domestic animals, or are meat handlers. Adequate infection control procedures should be implemented in all health care facilities.

Provision of health education in order to spread awareness amongst the public has now become necessary to save the citizens.

The Congo fever (CCHF) is highly contagious; a fatal viral disease that spreads through a tick bite, which is a parasite living in the blood of animals.

The Heads and Medical Superintendents of KMC run-hospitals have strictly been directed to prepare and take appropriate measures to protect human lives, particularly doctors and health care providers against Congo virus.