Hospitals to be checked for MERS compliance

JEDDAH: The Health Ministry is subjecting 400 hospitals to evaluations for MERS compliance and will re-evaluate efforts being made by different sectors for readiness in combating the disease.

The undersecretary of the ministry for public health and chairman of the command and control center, Abdul Aziz bin Saeed, said those subject to evaluation come under the ministry and other agencies, universities, the National Guard, the military and the private sector.
He added the MERS virus situation is stable at the moment but this doesn’t mean “we should stop our efforts, and as we are approaching the month of February when young camels that carry coronavirus start to be born, precautions need to be taken.” He added “we expect to register some cases as in past years.”
He warned that it has been scientifically proven that the camel has a role in the coronavirus cycle as shown by numerous studies that were carried out. He said there were cases in the past months of human infection because they had contact with camels which proves they are carriers of the virus but not the direct source.
Saeed said the ministry, in cooperation with the Agriculture Ministry, have carried out awareness campaigns where camels are found, especially in markets, squares and at rallies were the animals are used for competition. He added such campaigns were carried out for camel breeders about the necessity of health precautions.
He stressed that hospitals need to be on the alert with infection control requirements. “We will not hesitate to impose any punishment entailing closures and fines against hospitals that don’t fully apply the principles, standards and regulations for infection control.”
He added hospitals are there to treat patients and not for acquiring the infection as a result of negligence and “we will continue with our surprise visits of different health sectors to ensure that the regulations are adhered to and ICUs and operation rooms are in top form.”
He said the Husn program has allowed work with suspected cases of MERS with all care, and has removed all obstacles of treatment related to the disease. It has specified 4,000 workers to be trained especially in such cases according to the program.