The Union Health Ministry has instructed all airports and border land ports to stay vigilant for Mpox symptoms among international travelers. Three Centre-run hospitals in Delhi—Ram Manohar Lohia, Safdarjung, and Lady Hardinge—have been designated as nodal centres for isolation and treatment.
State governments are also required to establish designated hospitals for Mpox management. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, P K Mishra, chaired a high-level meeting on Sunday to assess national preparedness and enhance surveillance, despite no current reported cases of Mpox in India. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to its spread in Africa.
The Ministry has stressed the need for robust surveillance and rapid testing, with 32 laboratories nationwide equipped to handle Mpox cases. An awareness campaign among healthcare providers on the disease’s symptoms and prevention is underway. The WHO has reported over 99,000 Mpox cases and 208 deaths globally since 2022.
