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As the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on all countries around the world to prepare for possible future epidemics, the Ministry of Health is working to introduce a new tool to ensure better management of health crises.
Dr. Vasantrao Gujadhur.
The National Emergency Operations Command (NEOC) for dealing with natural disasters is now followed by the Public Health Emergency Operations Command (PHEOC), which is currently being prepared. The aim of this new body is to ensure better treatment of diseases that can have a negative impact on public health. This is what Dr. Soobaraj Sok Appadu, Director of New ENT Hospital. For him, this new organization is in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization.
In his year-end message, the UN agency’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called on all countries around the world to better prepare for possible future pandemics. With a view to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, he emphasized that “enormous suffering could have been avoided”. (See outside text). This means that Mauritius is on the right track to ensure better patient care in the event of possible pandemics, said Dr. Sok Appadu.
Dr. Shameem Jaumdally.
“We have benefited from WHO training, but also from the support of friendly countries such as Réunion and the United States, among others.” And with the new health facilities across the country, it will be possible to better address potential major public health problems.” , he says. To those from Dr. Facilities called Sok Appadu include the new Flacq Hospital, the new Moka Eye Hospital (currently under construction) and the various medical clinics, all infrastructures that can help in the good management of a possible new pandemic.
The world has become a village, says Dr. Vasantrao clearly
Dr. Soobaraj Sok Appadu.
Gujadhur. And due to the high mobility of the population, diseases can be transmitted quickly from one country to another, add Drs. Soobaraj Sok Appadu and Shameem Jaumdally, a Mauritian virologist practicing in South Africa. The three health experts emphasize that it is therefore absolutely necessary to take all necessary precautionary measures. “An epidemic can occur in the country at any time,” warns Dr. Gujadhur.
Dr. Jaumdally adds that history and scientific research have shown that epidemics will become more and more common for two reasons: Humans are increasingly penetrating virgin regions where there is no civilization and no human presence. “Due to the large amount of travel by plane or cruise ship from one country to another, any outbreak of an epidemic in one place can be transported by people from one place to another, even the most distant one,” he points out.
Respiratory viruses
Dr. Sok Appadu also notes that diseases that were initially eradicated or endemic in certain countries spread across continents. Therefore, greater surveillance needs to be exercised, argue Dr. Jaumdally and Sok Appadu.
“It would be very difficult to prevent people from continuing to venture into places where they could come into contact with animals carrying viruses or bacteria that are likely to cause an outbreak of an epidemic or pandemic. However, it is possible to set up sentinel and surveillance programs in different locations that are considered at risk,” adds Dr. Jaumdally added.
He explains that there are outbreaks of respiratory viruses such as the coronavirus in Southeast Asia. Thus, monitoring with sequencing and diagnosis can be performed, which is helpful. In Latin America, there are diseases with mosquitoes as carriers of chikungunya, dengue or Zika fever, he says. In his opinion, there could also be other diseases in Africa such as Ebola or even malaria.
“Sequencing is always carried out in these regions to follow the evolution of these different microbes. Symptoms of infected people are also monitored. “We have to constantly develop new systems and strategies to be able to carry out more in-depth diagnostics and thus detect the presence of different microbes,” says Dr. Jaumdally.
Given all these potential risks, the country must prepare for all eventualities, emphasizes Dr. Gujadhur, citing the experience of Covid-19 and the assistance received from various countries. He also calls for International Health Regulations (IHR) to better manage health crises.
However, he regrets that the Ministry of Health did not move forward with the creation of a “negative pressure ward”, which he had proposed several years ago before leaving his position as health director. According to him, such a health center would have prevented the spread of a virus among patients with an infectious disease.
According to Dr. It is important to Sok Appadu to develop new disease management systems and increase monitoring of passengers arriving in Mauritius. He reiterates that at the end of the Covid-19 experience, public health personnel are experienced and have demonstrated a certain versatility, which will be an advantage in the event of a new epidemic.
Prison environment: No presidential pardon by year’s end
WHO fears international spread of monkeypox epidemic The World Health Organization says it fears an international spread of “monkeypox” (Mpox) due to the explosive increase in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). ).
Depending on the body, this infectious disease causes a painful rash, pustules, swollen lymph nodes and fever. It has long been endemic in several countries in Central and West Africa and has spread to 75 non-endemic countries in 2022, particularly in Europe and the United States.
According to the UN organization, a new epidemic is emerging in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the warning was lifted in May 2023. It is transmitted by variant 1 of the virus. “We fear that there will be international transmission,” explained Dr. Rosamund Lewis, specialist in Mpox, during a press conference on Friday December 22nd in Geneva.
WHO director calls for “extraordinary” agreement
In his year-end message earlier this week, World Health Organization (WHO) director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (photo) called on countries to enter into an “extraordinary” agreement to close preparedness gaps in the event of the next pandemic.
He said 2024 presents a unique opportunity to close these gaps, noting that countries are negotiating the first global agreement on pandemic threats. “The pandemic deal is intended to close the gaps in cooperation, cooperation and fairness,” he said. The WHO Director-General also noted that 2023 has shown what can be achieved by working together to promote the health of all.
“New vaccines have been approved, deadly diseases have been eradicated and global health emergencies have been declared over,” he listed. “I look forward to 2024 with hope to continue working with all partners and communities to deliver on the WHO promise to promote and protect the health of all people, everywhere,” stressed Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his speech at WHO-X account (formerly Twitter) published the message.
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