Steps Taken to Enhance National Preparedness against Emerging Infectious Diseases

Key Highlights:

• The Union Health Ministry regularly reviews and strengthens national preparedness against emerging infectious diseases.
• The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) network has expanded to 163 labs under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
• The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) implements the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) for outbreak surveillance and response.
• Pradhan Mantri - Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) has been launched to enhance healthcare infrastructure for managing new diseases.
• Coordination between Central and State health authorities is strengthened through real-time surveillance via Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) and mock drills.

Detailed Insights:

• Preparedness measures include genomic surveillance, wastewater surveillance, simulation exercises, and rapid outbreak response mechanisms.
• The expanded VRDL network comprises 11 Regional, 27 State, and 125 Medical College VRDLs to boost diagnostic capacity nationwide.
• Infectious Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratories and four Regional Next-Generation Sequencing Hubs enhance decentralized diagnostics and genomic characterization.
• Real-time disease surveillance and reporting under IDSP/IHIP facilitate information sharing and coordinated outbreak response.
• During outbreaks, the Ministry provides technical support, risk assessment, laboratory confirmation, and deploys multidisciplinary experts.
• PM-ABHIM aims to enhance primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities for identifying and managing emerging diseases.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) network: A network of labs across India for diagnosing viral infections and strengthening disease surveillance.
• National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC): A national institute responsible for disease surveillance, prevention, and control under the Directorate General of Health Services.
• Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP): A program for early detection and rapid response to outbreaks of communicable diseases across India.
• Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP): A digital platform for real-time, case-based disease surveillance and public health data management.
• Pradhan Mantri - Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM): A mission to strengthen healthcare infrastructure from primary to tertiary levels to manage public health emergencies.