New Delhi: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has released comprehensive guidelines for managing patients suspected of having Monkeypox (Mpox) symptoms. Following the World Health Organizations (WHO) declaration of Mpox as a global health emergency, AIIMS has put in place Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to address potential cases in its emergency department. The notification outlines that patients presenting with fever, rash, or any history of contact with confirmed Monkeypox cases should be promptly flagged for evaluation.The guidelines emphasize identifying key symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and characteristic skin lesions. AIIMS has specified that any suspected cases should be immediately isolated in designated areas to prevent the spread of infection. For this purpose, beds 33, 34, 35, and 36 in the AB-7 ward have been allocated exclusively for isolating Monkeypox patients. The allocation of these beds will be managed by the emergency department in coordination with the medicine department.AIIMS on the Mpox In addition, AIIMS has advised immediate communication with the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) for any suspected case. The IDSP team must be provided with detailed patient information, including clinical history and contact details. Suspected cases are to be transferred to Safdarjung Hospital, which has been designated for further management and treatment of monkeypox patients.A dedicated ambulance service is available for this purpose, and AIIMS staff have been instructed to ensure strict infection control measures throughout the process. Healthcare workers are required to use personal protective equipment (PPE) when dealing with suspected cases, while maintaining detailed documentation of symptoms, patient history, and referral processes.
