Following an alert issued by the Central government regarding Ebola virus, the Jharkhand government has stepped up its preparedness measures across the state.
State Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari has directed Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and Ranchi Sadar Hospital to remain fully prepared to handle any suspected Ebola cases.
Speaking to the media, Dr. Ansari said a high-level review meeting was conducted to assess the state’s readiness and precautionary arrangements.
He informed that both RIMS and Sadar Hospital have been instructed to keep several beds reserved so that immediate treatment can be initiated if any suspected Ebola patient is detected.
The Health Minister further stated that a dedicated six-bed isolation ward has been prepared and secured at RIMS specifically for Ebola-related emergencies.
He also confirmed that discussions were held with the PDB team and health officials regarding emergency response mechanisms and containment strategies.
Also read: Ebola alert in Andhra Pradesh
Health officials revealed that Jharkhand currently does not have any authorised laboratory for Ebola testing, including in Jamshedpur. In case any suspected patient is identified, samples will be safely transported to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for confirmation and examination.
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry recently conducted an online review meeting with District Surveillance Departments across Jharkhand to evaluate preparedness and preventive protocols.
The Central health authorities instructed all districts to closely monitor travellers arriving from Ebola-affected countries in Central and West Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, where fresh outbreaks have recently been confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The Government of India has also issued a travel advisory for Indian citizens traveling to or residing in Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, urging them to remain cautious and immediately report any symptoms associated with the disease.
As part of preventive measures, the District Surveillance Department has adopted a three-category monitoring system for travellers and suspected cases.
Individuals returning from affected countries without direct exposure to Ebola patients will remain under self-monitoring and home isolation for 21 days.
Those who had contact with infected persons will undergo mandatory quarantine for the same duration. Suspected patients displaying symptoms will be immediately admitted to specialised isolation wards for observation and treatment.
Medical experts have advised citizens to stay alert regarding Ebola symptoms, including sudden high fever, severe weakness, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and, in severe cases, internal or external bleeding.
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