Focal Group constituted for control of Naegleria Fowleri

KARACHI: The Sindh Health Department has formed a focal group to formulate a strategy for the control of the Naegleria Fowleri infection.

The Focal Group for Control Naegleria comprised of Dr Syed Zafar Mehdi, OSD, Health Department (Convener/Member), representative of Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (Member), representative of KMC, Dr Kamran Rizvi, DO Preventive, Director Health Services Office Karachi (Member), Syed Nazir Haider, Assistant Executive Engineer of Public Health, Engineering Department Karachi (Member), and Sheeraz Sheikh, Executive Engineer of District Council, Local Government Karachi (Member).

The Naegleria Prevention Centre at the COD Filtration Plant will be the focal point for testing and working out strategies on a daily basis. The group is scheduled to meet daily at 10:00 hours in the Naegleria Prevention Centre at the COD Filtration Plant, KW&SB Karachi, and devise an action plan for taking samples from various localities of the city, i.e. swimming pools, water reservoirs, pumping stations, farmhouses, etc. Tap water will also be properly tested for findings.

The Focal Group will ensure immediate action for chlorination as per the World Health Organization (WHO) standards; vulnerable areas will be given attention. The group will review the sample test reports jointly and take the required action. The convener of the group will be responsible for releasing information to the media in order to avoid conflicting versions from various organizations and build public confidence.

The Focal Group started functioning 1^st May and is expected to continue till 31^st October 2019 for six months.