THE Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) held its first meeting yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw.
The meeting was attended by chairman of the central committee, Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin, and Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss preparations and lay down plans for tackling challenges and dealing with the consequences of the outbreak in the long run, said committee chairman U Kyaw Tin.
The Union Minister also gave a briefing on preventive measures taken by the central committee, including suspension of visas on arrival to visitors from China since 1 January, after the outbreak was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization.
On 2 February, 59 out of 63 Myanmar students were brought back to Mandalay from Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak started.
Union Minister U Kyaw Tin expressed his thanks to the authorities concerned, including the Mandalay Region Government and Mandalay Mayor, for helping accomplish the mission which boosted the image of the country.
Afterwards, Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe briefed on condition of the Coronavirus outbreak in China and preventive measures in Myanmar, calling on ministries concerned to cooperate in systematic and synchronized coordination in preventing the infection of the disease.
He also stressed the importance of communication channel between ministries as the Ministry of Health and Sports is beefing up its surveillance at international airports and border checkpoints.
The Union minister has also stressed importance of public awareness about surveillance and suspects about the infection, especially information from the hotels and tourism sector and from the transportation sector
Regarding the releasing information on prevention of the infection, the Union Minister said his ministry posted the updated information in real time on the ministry’s website www.mohs.gov.mm.
Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health and Sports Professor Dr Thet Khaing Win, as the Secretary of Central Committee,” explained prevention, control and treatments on pneumonia caused by 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019- nCoV).
Dr Thet Khaing Win briefed on setting up a hotline for public information on the disease, coordination with the World Health Organization, collaboration with the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism to educate service providers in hotel business, close monitoring on Myanmar students who were brought back from Wuhan, health workers who had close contacts with those students and flight crew, accumulation of medicines and medical equipment, treatments to persons under investigation, tightening fever checks at the border checkpoints and setting up quarantined wards if the suspected were found, preparations at Waibargi hospital, Mandalay hospital and 1,000-beded Nay Pyi Taw hospital and health education programmes.
Those present at the meeting discussed coordination among the Union-level and State/Regional levels, monitoring foreign visitors at the hotels, real-time and correct media reports, medical monitoring teams at the international airports, jetties and border checkpoints and preparations for imports of personal protective equipment and face masks.
In his conclusion remark, Central Committee Chairman U Kyaw Tin recognized measures of Chinese government against transmission and control of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), a public health emergency of international concern of WHO about the country with weaker health systems without recommending unnecessary restrictions on any travel or trade.
He finally remarked Myanmar needs to abide by the rules of WHO and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and to make a balanced response in consideration of bilateral relations and preventing Myanmar citizens from the virus infection.
MNA
(Translated by Kyaw Zin Lin, Aung Khin)
Photo-MNA
Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar