Ebola scare prompts monitoring of foreign students in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: Educational institutions in Visakhapatnam have been placed on alert following concerns over the recent Ebola outbreak reported in parts of Africa. The state official machinery has sought details of students studying in the city who hail from Ebola-affected countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, and the neighboring South Sudan. Andhra University alone has 99 students from these three countries. One student from Congo studying at the university is currently away on summer vacation. A deemed university in the city also has nearly 50 students from the affected regions. Officials are particularly focusing on students who may return after vacations or seek fresh admissions over the next one or two monthsFor an institution like Andhra University, which has nearly 1,100 foreign students, close to 700 belong to various African countries. Many students are pursuing courses in engineering, pharmacy, management and sciences under various ‘Study in India’ initiatives, ICCR fellowships and scholarships, and other schemes offered by different organisations and governments. The relatively affordable fee structure and English-medium education are drawing increasing numbers of students to Visakhapatnam.With the admission season expected to begin in the next one or two months and nearly 200 to 250 fresh international admissions likely, universities are closely monitoring the situation arising out of the Ebola outbreak. Andhra University generally releases a separate notification every year for international students. After submitting the required documents, students are initially granted provisional admission to enable them to obtain student visas from Indian embassies in their respective countries.Speaking to ToI, Andhra University dean (international affairs) Prof S Paul Douglas said that only one student from the affected region had travelled to her home country during the summer vacation. “We were informed that screening will be conducted for all passengers arriving from affected countries at Visakhapatnam airport. In fact, we came to know that even the affected countries are not allowing people to travel abroad without medical screening and testing negative,” said Prof Douglas.Visakhapatnam has steadily emerged as an international education destination in India, with Andhra University hosting over 1,100 foreign students and another deemed university in Visakhapatnam accommodating nearly 500. Students and faculty members say the cosmopolitan culture of Visakhapatnam, along with its welcoming academic environment, helps many foreign students feel at home. During the recent centenary celebrations of Andhra University, these students organised an international food festival, with pupils from different countries showcasing their traditional cuisines and serving food in their traditional attire.Several students from African nations who graduated from Andhra University and other institutions in the city have gone on to secure employment in multinational companies, healthcare institutions and academic organisations in their home countries and abroad. A few alumni have even risen to prominent public positions, including ministers and senior administrators in their respective countries.For the uninformed, Ebola is a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by infection with the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. It is a serious disease with a high mortality rate. At present, no vaccines or specific treatments have been universally approved to prevent or treat the disease.Isolation wards readied statewideWHO determined the Ebola situation to be a public health emergency of international concernThe Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has also officially declared the ongoing outbreak as a public health emergency of continental securityFurther, the WHO IHR emergency committee issued temporary recommendations to strengthen disease surveillance at points of entryThe committee also advised against travel to areas with documented casesIndia has not reported any cases so far. AP govt has decided to conduct screening and testing of international passengers at Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Vijayawada airports based on travel historyIsolation wards with 15 beds each are being set up in teaching hospitals in cities with international airportsPeople have been advised to avoid non-essential travel to Ebola-affected countries and report symptoms immediately if they recently returned from those regions