Monkeypox: Help Desk at airports, Training Program for prevention

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister Veena George said that help desks will be opened at airports as monkeypox is confirmed in the state. The help desk is opening at Thiruvananthapuram, Nedumbassery, Kozhikode and Kannur International Airports. The help desk is set up to detect any symptoms and to ensure expert care for those arriving from abroad. This help desk is also useful to provide solutions to queries. Trained staff will be appointed here. The minister also stated that isolation facilities have been set up in the districts.

Announcements in both English and Malayalam will be made at the airports. People who have traveled to countries where monkeypox has been reported in the past 21 days should contact the airport help desk if they have symptoms such as fever, body lumps or blisters, headache, body aches, muscle pain, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing food. Those with symptoms should stay at home in a ventilated room for 21 days. During this period, close contact with pregnant women, children, or weakened immune people in the house should be avoided. Call Disha helpline numbers 104, 1056, 0471 2552056 immediately if you notice any symptoms.

The Health Department is organizing an extensive training program for monkeypox prevention. A training program was organized for more than 1200 doctors from government and private sector. Apart from this training is also provided to doctors in private hospitals, private practitioners and doctors in AYUSH sector in collaboration with IMA.

Training is also being organized by Health department for the employees of the local bodies with the collaboration of KILA. There will be training and doubt-clearing on July 18 from 11 am to 12 pm. This program is organized for health volunteers, Asha workers, Kudumbashree workers and for those who directly interact with people. The public can watch the program live through the link https://youtu.be/FC1gsr9y1BI. The minister informed that doubts can also raised in the program.