At the inter-bureau preparedness conference held on November 12, Deputy mayor Tsai Bing-kun (蔡炳坤) ordered the regional level hospitals and Fire Bureau to form the Ebola specialized medical care team. He further instructed Taichung Hospital and Fire Bureau to drill the entire procedures on how to deliver any Ebola patient to hospital.

The Health Bureau of Taichung City Government held the inter-bureau preparedness conference at the City Hall located on Taiwan Boulevard today (Nov. 12). The Health Bureau has not only held seminars to strengthen education fora number of medical institutes, medical personnel, epidemic prevention teams, school health personnel, and funeral service companies but has also asked health-related staff and firefighters to drill how to put on and remove personal protective equipment and how to wash and sterilize the ambulances and fire engines. As an emergency response hospital in the Incident Command System designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Taichung Hospital has been planning the process on how to admit Ebola patients.

Deputy Mayor Tsai stressed the importance of getting well prepared for the Ebola epidemic, especially ensuring the safety of those first-line health care workers.

Huang Mei-Na (黃美娜), Director-general of Health Bureau, urges people who have been to Ebola-affected areas to avoid visiting relatives and/or friends at the hospital and monitor their own health conditions within 21 days after returning home from the trip. In case he/she suffers from any discomfort or symptoms, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin rash, he/she must call the toll-free domestic anti-epidemic hotline 1922(or 0800-001922) for inquiry and/or medical care and must tell the physicians his/her own travel history and contact history when receiving medical treatment.

Moreover, a physician who treats any patient coming home from West Africa should obtain information about his/her travel history, contact history, occupation, and home or work environment. If there is any possibility that the patient may be infected with Ebola, the physician should immediately admit the patient to the isolation ward. All the health care personnel must wear protective equipment and implement infection control measures, including washing hands, keeping respiratory hygiene, and avoiding being splashed by body fluids. For more information about Ebola. Please visit the global information network of Health Bureau of Taichung City Government (http://www.health.taichung.gov.tw).