Principal Secretary to PM chairs high-level meeting to review preparedness of Mpox

New Delhi [India], August 18 : As advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of preparedness for Mpox in the country and related public health measures on Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been continuously monitoring the MPox situation in view of its declaration as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO.
It may be noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) again declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024, in view of its prevalence and spread across many parts of Africa.
The high-level meeting was briefed that, as of now, there is no reported case of Mpox in the country. As per the present assessment, the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is low.
The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister was informed that Mpox infections are generally self-limiting, lasting between 2-4 weeks; Mpox patients usually recover with supportive medical care and management.
Mpox transmission happens through prolonged and close contact with an infected patient. It happens largely through the sexual route, direct contact with the body/lesion fluid of the patient, or through the contaminated clothing/linen of an infected person.
It was informed by the Health Secretary that the following steps have already been taken in the last one week. A meeting of experts was convened by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on August August 2024 to assess the risk for India. A Communicable Disease (CD) Alert on Mpox issued earlier by the NCDC is being updated to capture the newer developments. Sensitization of the health teams at International Airports (Ports of Entry) has been undertaken," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
It was also informed that today morning, a video conference was convened by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) with more than 200 participants.
The health authorities at the state level, including the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) units in the States and at the ports of entry, etc., were sensitised in this regard.
The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister directed that surveillance be enhanced and effective measures be taken for prompt detection of cases.
He further directed that the testing laboratories network should be geared up for early diagnosis. Presently 32 labs are equipped for testing.
PK Mishra directed that the protocols for prevention and treatment of the disease may be disseminated on a large scale.
He further emphasized an awareness campaign amongst the healthcare providers regarding the signs and symptoms of the disease and the need for timely notification to the surveillance system.
The meeting was attended by Dr VK Paul, Member NITI, Apurva Chandra, Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary (Health Research), Krishna S Vatsa, Member Secretary (National Disaster Management Authority), Sanjay Jaju, Secretary (Information and Broadcasting) and Govind Mohan, Home Secretary-designate, along with officers of other ministries.
As per an earlier statement from the WHO, globally, since 2022, from 116 countries, 99,176 cases and 208 deaths have been reported due to Mpox. Subsequently, they have reported that Mpox cases have been steadily increasing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Last year, the reported cases increased significantly, and already the number of cases reported so far this year has exceeded last year's total, with more than 15, 600 cases and 537 deaths. Since the 2022 declaration of Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO, 30 cases were reported in India. The last case of Mpox was detected in March 2024, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated.