23 February
A meeting to take Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) measures with added momentum was held at the Magway Region Office of the Public Health Department on 21 February.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe said in consideration of the area of Magway Region and the spread of returnees from China who went there as guest workers in its various towns and villages, the prevention and control of the disease in Magway Region is as important as in the border areas. The rate of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) infection is still high in China. Although no COVID-19 patient is found in Myanmar, the disease may occur at any time. Hence, relevant departments, social organizations, private hospitals and clinics and the Public Health Department should continue their prevention and control undertakings through coordination.
The Union Minister said arrangements to treat patients at the newly opened five-storey ward of Magway People’s Hospital, in case infection occurs, are satisfactory. Necessary mechanical ventilators and 24-hour patient monitoring machines are being provided to intensive care units of hospitals as infection prevention is of vital importance. The Ministry of Health and Sports is holding the central level meeting on disease prevention and control daily, issuing guidelines and distributing information continuously.
Basic health staff and experts should make field tours in taking control and preventive measures township wise under the leadership of the respective township offices of the Public Health Department, while the state and region office of the PHD are serving as the chief coordinators of the project, he said.
The public should constantly be in touch with the ministry’s prevention and control undertakings, guidelines for the undertakings, standard procedures and public health knowledge posted on www.moh.gov.mm and social network pages of the ministry, he said.
The Union Minister went on to say that now, the National Health Laboratory can confirm the infection of COVID-19 within six hours in testing the suspected cases. He said according to disease control centre of China, of the 100 COVID-19 patients, 80 percent suffer from mild infection, while 15 percent of the cases are severe and five percent are at the acute stage. In case the infection occurs in the country it may face the same order. Staff of the ministry should strive to save the country from COVID-19, and to stop the infection and fatality rate should it occurs in the country, with the conviction to serve the public interest.
Relevant officials then presented the latest developments of the COVID-19 infection in China and global countries, monitoring and surveillance at international gateways, control and prevention, preparations at hospitals in accord with the instructions, broader public awareness campaigns, and control and preventive measures in Magway and the assistance of the Union government. —MNA (Translated by TMT)
