Health Ministry on alert over Ebola threat

The Ministry of Health will implement measures consisting of five steps in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), following the WHO declaration of the Ebola virus epidemic situation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.   

Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena has issued a statement in this regard.  

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health has decided to strengthen surveillance at airports, keeping the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) well-prepared to provide necessary treatment in the event a suspected patient is reported and to keep the Medical Research Institute (MRI) prepared for necessary disease diagnosis.  

The Ministry has also decided to strengthen the surveillance system within the country and continuously study the global situation and maintain proper coordination between the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health and the WHO for necessary activities.  

It says, according to WHO criteria, Sri Lanka has been classified as a low-risk country for the disease.  

The Director General of Health Services emphasised that the public does not need to harbour any undue fears regarding this situation, and that the Ministry of Health has already taken steps towards this end.