AIIMS issues SOP for handling Monkeypox

New Delhi: In response to the World Health Organization’s declaration of Monkeypox as a public health emergency, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for managing suspected cases. As part of the response, Safdarjung Hospital

has been designated as the primary facility for comprehensive Monkeypox care, with five specific beds—numbered 33 to 37 in AIIMS’s AB-7 ward—allocated for the isolation of suspected patients.

The SOP outlines the necessary steps for handling suspected Monkeypox cases. Patients showing symptoms such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes will be screened in the triage area and, if deemed necessary, placed in the designated isolation area

at AIIMS. This temporary holding area will help prevent the spread of the virus until patients can be transferred to Safdarjung Hospital.

Strict infection control measures are mandated, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by healthcare staff. Suspected cases must be reported to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) at 8745011784. A dedicated ambulance service will transport patients to Safdarjung Hospital, coordinated

through mobile number 8929683898. This new SOP aims to enhance containment efforts and ensure effective management of the outbreak.