No need for alarm on Mpox, Karnataka medical education minister assures public
BENGALURU: With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHIC), Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil on Friday held a meeting to discuss the state’s preparedness on Friday.
Dr Patil said that 50 beds in H-block of Victoria Hospital, Bengaluru, will be converted as an isolation ward to manage potential Mpox cases.
“I met officials from the medical education department to discuss strategies to contain Mpox. There is no need for alarm. We have implemented necessary measures,” Dr Patil told the media after the meeting.
He further highlighted that the Health Ministry has already issued guidelines, and the Union Government has provided necessary advisories on Mpox management. “We have organised testing and screening facilities at Victoria Hospital and set up isolation beds. Tests will be conducted free of charge,” Dr Patil added, noting that similar arrangements will be made at other hospitals if the situation demands.
To prepare for potential cases, 50 isolation beds have been reserved in Victoria Hospital’s H Block and the hospital’s VRDL lab and microbiology department are fully equipped to conduct the necessary tests, Dr Patil said. “Although no Mpox cases have been reported in India so far, hospitals affiliated with BMCRI are on high alert and ready to respond to any situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Patil also announced that the Charaka Super-speciality Hospital will open on September 2. The 100-bed facility will offer advanced services, specialising in neurosurgery and cardiology.