SCB Hospital nodal center for monkeypox management

Cuttack: With the rise in Monkeypox cases in India, the Odisha government has made SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack the nodal center for management of the rare viral infection, with starting of training of the doctors in Odisha. The government-run hospital has been the nerve center of Odisha’s fight against the Covid19 pandemic since its outbreak here in March 2020. With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the global Monkeypox outbreak a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ (PHEIC) which is one step below that of a ‘pandemic’, the Odisha government has sounded an alert to health officials to deal with the possible Monkeypox cases too. The team comprising doctors from various departments such as medicine, gynaecology, microbiology, dermatology, and pediatric has been constituted by the hospital administration. India reported its first case of monkeypox on July 14, with a Keralite who returned from the UAE testing positive for it. The incident has prompted the state to put together a high-level multi-disciplinary team to collaborate with the state health authorities in instituting public health measures. “There are no reports of Monkeypox cases in Odisha so far. As there are no restrictions on international travel, the chances of the virus intruding the state cannot be ruled out,” said Dr. Jayant Panda, Head of Medicine Department.

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