JOIN USEbola’s arrival in India is reason for concern as there are serious questions regarding the country’s capacity to prevent the disease’s spread. The semen of a 26-year-old man arriving from Liberia at Delhi airport tested positive for the Ebola virus, although his blood samples did not.
Health authorities did well to quarantine him immediately. However, there is concern that the man may have infected others. Samples of his other secretions and body fluids are being studied and should his sweat, for instance, reveal any traces of the virus, there is a possibility that he could have infected others on the flight home.
There is concern over the efficacy of virus surveillance systems in place at airports. Would this man have been detected as a carrier of the virus had he not voluntarily declared his health situation to airport officials? How many such virus carriers have already slipped through? Every passenger and crew member on his flight will need to be traced and tested as should every person that these people came in touch with subsequently. It was by putting in place a water-tight surveillance and screening system that involved detecting, tracking down, testing and isolating Ebola virus carriers that Nigeria was able to halt its spread. Can India do it now?
Unlikely, it seems, if a Union Health ministry review of India’s preparedness against Ebola is any indication. According to the review, of the 14 airports identified for screening incoming passengers, just two have surveillance facilities on a par with health ministry guidelines. Apparently, the 21-day travel history of passengers is not being recorded, facilities in isolation hospitals are inadequate for tackling Ebola and health workers dealing with suspected patients are not using the necessary protective gear.
India has set up 10 more labs with bio-safety level-3 facilities and put in place a tracking system under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme. It is at airports, the point of entry into the country, that screening must be the most efficient. But unfortunately, it is at this critical point that our shield against the Ebola virus seems most vulnerable.
Ebola is a complex disease to combat, especially since the virus survives for several weeks, long after a patient has been declared cured. Even the corpse of a person who dies of Ebola is infectious. In a heavily populated country like India, where public awareness of health issues is limited, even a single case of Ebola could prove to be a public health disaster. We need to take this virus’ entry more seriously.