ISLAMABAD, Aug 10 (INP): The World Health Organization has declared Ebola Virus Diseases as a Global Public Health Emergency. In the four decades history of this viral disease current outbreak in West African countries Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria Sierra Leon is sever and most complex to quarantine. Death toll with the current year Ebola infections is over one thousand. Several countries have already initiated precautionary measures for stopping this deadly disease.
All airports in neighboring India have been put on high alert and people arriving from Ebola inflicted countries have been asked to fill a mandatory form. Ebola is a disease caused by a virus also called Ebola Virus and is believed to jump from animal to humans and once human contract this disease they have capability to transmit to other humans. Disease symptoms with Ebola virus include: headache, joint and muscle aches, coughing, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and lack of appetite, bleeding inside and outside of the body. There is no treatment for Ebola only supportive therapy is given to patient. Scientists are still scrambling to identify why majority of people infected with Ebola die and a very few have survival.
World fame virologist who discovered the passage of viral entry into human brain Professor Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar, a renowned Pakistani scientist has advised Pakistani Government to establish effective programs aimed at facing any untoward situation associated with any emerging viral/bacterial/fungal infection. Such programs should be part of the National Defense Strategies. The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and Ministry of Science and Technology can play a major role in this regard. Curbing outbreak with dengue virus in Pakistan is a success story, however, still the danger keeps looming. What is required over here is strong indigenous vaccine program as this is the best option for curtailing infectious disease. Furthermore, he commented World is becoming unsafe due to biological warfare also. Developed world besides their conventional armies have established bio defense units for defense against bio-warfare if any. Worth mentioning over here is that Professor Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar recently served as Vice Chancellor of three Universities in Southern Punjab, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, the Government Sadiq College Women University Bahawalpur and Ghazi University Dera Ghazi Khan. He is also recognized as one of the well-published scientist and researcher in the Muslim World besides his academic administration. Previously, he also served as Center for Human Virology and Biodefense in USA.
Professor Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar also lamented about our medical education system. He said, we are producing good clinician but what is needed for today is clinical researcher capable of coping with any emerging infectious diseases like Ebola and several others. Pakistan should follow the education system of developed World and encourage Physician-Scientist Program. During his tenure, Professor Mukhtar struggled to establish a medical education facility named the Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi Postgraduate Medical College at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur to face realities of the upcoming healthcare. This college is still at infancy, however, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council in conjunction with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan should introduce postgraduate curricula and mandatory medical research for every doctor of the country. Unfortunately, if we come across with any issue like Ebola, Pakistan lacks necessary quarantine facilities and doctors trained to care for such patients.
