HYDERABAD: Gandhi Hospital has been designated as a nodal centre for Ebola preparedness, featuring dedicated isolation and quarantine facilities.
Dr Vamsi Krishna, the Nodal Officer for Ebola Preparedness, confirmed the hospital has established a dedicated ward with 10 fully isolated rooms, each with an attached bathroom. The hospital has also arranged 15 quarantine beds. “We are fully prepared to manage cases if any arise,” Dr Krishna stated.
The arrangements have been made under the guidance of Dr Sunil Kumar, Head of General Medicine, and Dr Vani, Hospital Superintendent. Healthcare personnel and faculty across all departments are currently undergoing training in safety protocols, patient handling and precautionary measures.
Officials emphasised that no Ebola cases have been reported and these measures are precautionary. Gandhi Hospital is one of the first in the region to establish this dedicated infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Health Department data from a recent review meeting chaired by Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha revealed that 58 passengers recently arrived in the city from Ebola-hit countries. None of the passengers has shown symptoms.
Special screening and thermal scanning are active at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport for travellers from African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. A dedicated team of doctors, health inspectors, field staff and paramedics has been deployed to monitor the arrivals at the airport.