Ebola virus scare is seemed to have been taken seriously by health authorities. A top health official with public health background from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) conducted a surprise inspection of Gandhi Hospital; the nodal centre for Ebola cases, in case they are reported in Hyderabad.
While health officials at Gandhi Hospital were caught unawares, the expert, however, came up with suggestions to improve the Ebola isolation block and training of the hospital staff to handle such cases. In West Africa and other places where Ebola cases were reported, so far close to 300 healthcare workers including doctors, paramedics and nurses tested positive for Ebola after treating any positive patients.To avoid recurrence of such a scenario, the MOHFW officials have urged the local health authorities to conduct thorough training sessions for doctors, nurses, class IV employees, ambulance drivers, paramedics in-charge of handling bodies and persons taking care of disposing bio-hazard medical wastes of Gandhi Hospital.
The MOHFW official also took up a session with hospital nurses to make them aware on the procedures that are required to wear a Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
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According to officials, the isolation wards at Gandhi Hospital need to be restructured. As per the set protocols, each Ebola recovery room should have an anteroom.