RISHARD KHAN
rishard.khan@guardian.co.tt
The T&T Medical Association has trained doctors on treating monkeypox as the country remains on alert for the arrival of the disease.
Speaking with Guardian Media, the Association's public relations officer Dr Frank Ramlackhansingh said:
"It is very easy to recognise. TTMA has done meetings on monkeypox; on its presentation, its diagnosis, treatment and management."
"We wish to assure the Minister (of Health) that...the members of TTMA are well prepared should monkeypox occur in our country, which we hope it doesn't," he said.
According to Dr Ramlackhansingh, the training was held virtually for the doctors and conducted by infectious disease experts. He said doctors working within the public health system made up the majority of those trained.
On Wednesday, Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh MP, said the Caura hospital was designated for treating any suspected/confirmed cases of the disease in the country.
Last week, the cabinet approved adding monkeypox to the schedule of dangerous infectious diseases, which subsequently was proclaimed by President, Paula-Mae Weekes. This will allow the government to legally quarantine/isolate suspected or confirmed cases. It also will afford them mechanisms under the Public Health Ordinance to control any outbreak, such as implementing restrictions.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), since 1 January and as of 22 June 2022, 3,413 laboratory-confirmed cases and one death have been reported to WHO from 50 countries/territories in five WHO Regions. The bulk of these cases are in the European region—with 793 cases in the United Kingdom, 521 in Germany, and 520 in Spain—accounting for over half the confirmed cases. The one death came from Nigeria.