Call to take steps to check Congo virus

LAHORE

Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute and Lahore General Hospital Prof Ghias-un-Nabi Tayyab has said that Congo fever is a fatal disease which can be avoided only by adopting precautionary measures. So far no anti-Congo vaccine has been discovered; therefore, we would have to be very careful while purchasing sacrificial animals on coming Eid-ul-Azha ensuring that they do not have ticks in their hides.

The principal expressed these views addressing a clinical symposium on awareness about Congo virus held in auditorium of Post Graduate Medical Institute, according to a press release issued here on Wednesday. 

The symposium was also addressed by Dr Javed Asghar Magsi, Dr Muheen Qasim and Dr Razi Hyder Zaidi while a large number of doctors, nurses and general masses attended the event.

Prof Ghias-un-Nabi Tayyab said that Congo fever was an epidemic which name in medical terminology was Crimean Hemorrhagic fever. He said Congo virus is more lethal than cancer and it grows in the skin of goats and other such animals.

We must be very careful of the eve of Eid-ul-Azha taking maximum preventive measures while dealing with sacrificial animals. He said that Congo virus is inhabitant of African countries which is created from tucks living in the skins of goats, cows, buffaloes and camels. These tucks live on blood of these animals. The patient of Congo virus suffers from nausea, fever, hunger, weakness and swelling of eyes. The patient also falls short of white cells immediately and starts bleeding which causes death. He said that Congo is a fast spreading disease all over the world so we should be very careful about it.

PHF: Punjab Health Foundation Managing Director Dr Suhail Saqlain has said that steps are being taken to make the foundation a vibrant and effective institution and with the help of Punjab Information Technology Board, all the system of PHF is being shifted on automation.

He said that from receiving of the applications to issuance of interest-free loan, all process would be carried out online. It would promote merit and transparency in the system. According to a handout issued here on Wednesday, Dr Suhail Saqlain informed that within two months of his posting as MD Punjab Health Foundation, he had taken a number of solid steps for the betterment of the foundation and during that period, a loan of Rs25.178 million had been released to the doctors whereas recovery of Rs6.731 million had also been made.