Kathmandu - XINHUA
Threatened with the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) globally, the Nepal government Wednesday decided to initiate actions to make sure that the disease does not enter the Himalayan Republic, officials said.
A meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office this morning decided to set up a health desk with a medical doctor at the country's only international airport to screen all Nepalis and foreigners coming from African nations.
According to the country's Health Ministry, the government has already asked Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the country's aviation regulatory body, to provide a space at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for setting up a health desk while the ministry will manage other technical preparations including a team of medical staff.
"If any of the people are found suspicious while undergoing screening at the health desk, they will be promptly taken to and put under strict observation at two government owned hospitals, Bir Hospital and Teku Hospital in Kathmandu," Dr Sindndra Upreti, chief of the country's Department of Health Services told Xinhua by phone.
He also said the health desk at the TIA will be set up this week.
One of the deadliest diseases, the EVD has already killed 1,000 people in West Africa this year, according to World Health Organization.
According to government officials, as a huge number of Nepalis including security officials under peace mission are in African countries, no stone should be left unturned in preventing the disease from entering here.
The ministry has also directed the two hospitals to manage " isolation ward" for treatment of suspected patients.
The meeting also decided to initiate special vigilance in some border towns to check the possible transfer of the disease.