WHO team completes Pakistan Ebola assessment

A visiting World Health Organization (WHO) team has completed its assessment of Pakistan's preparedness against the Ebola virus.

"The mission had provided technical support to assess the eventual venue of a patient coming from countries hit by the virus," Dawn online quoted WHO country chief Michel Thieren as saying.

The mission reviewed measures to be put in place in six areas of concern associated with Ebola preparedness, including entry at airports to track the passenger's contact and travel history, Thieren said Saturday.

Infection control or the capacity to contain contagion and protect anyone from being contaminated by the virus was also part of the assessment.

During its five-day mission in Islamabad, Punjab and Sindh, the team also checked the laboratory to confirm facilities for Ebola diagnosis and follow-up of a patient, risk communication or capacity to dispel false beliefs and misconceptions with evidence-based and scientifically-grounded messaging and surveillance.