Keep pace with changes, work with team spirit to beat challenges: Dr Al Qahtani

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

“Combining efforts” and “working as a team” is crucial to overcoming the health crisis currently gripping the world, Bahrain’s top infectious disease consultant said. In a tweet yesterday, Dr Lt Col Manaf Al Qahtani said that only through concerted efforts world could tackle the challenges, including that of the monkeypox outbreak.

The solution to the challenges lies in our ability to “combine efforts” to work as a team, the Infectious Disease Consultant and Microbiologist at the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Hospital stressed.

“It is no secret to anyone that the world faces several challenges, including social, economic and health,” Dr Al Qahtani, also a member of the National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), further wrote. “The world is still suffering from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of the virus that causes monkeypox.” He also reminds, “Whatever the reasons, the solution to meet these challenges is to combine efforts to work in a team spirit and to ensure success in keeping pace with the changes.”

The statement comes as Bahrain has strengthened its battle against the monkeypox virus, particularly in light of a global rise in cases, by adding it to the list of “communicable diseases”. The World Health Organisation had declared the multi-country Monkeypox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

WHO’s assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region” where we assess the risk as high,” WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, had said.

Bahrain, the Minister of Health, Dr Jaleela bint Sayed Jawad Hassan said, also adopted protocols related to testing, isolation and treatment based on global WHO recommendations and standards on Friday. The ministry also confirmed Bahrain has not “detected any monkeypox cases, so far”.

The decision also makes it mandatory for people to stay in isolation for 21 days after getting infected and coming in contact with an infected person. The order also states that specialists overseeing the isolation can increase or decrease it if needed. As per the latest data by the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), the top US medical body, the country has over 5,189 cases, one of the highest in the world. New York has recorded 1,345 cases so far and California and Illinois are among other states where the spike has been worrying.

Worldwide, according to the CDC data, more than 22,000 cases have been reported. The UN agency is recommending vaccination for high-risk groups, including healthcare workers. It cautioned that it takes several weeks after getting the second dose of vaccine to be fully protected, so people should take other precautions until that point.