Context

Central Government has launched real-time monitoring of critical disease under integrated disease surveillance system to collect and monitor the development of critical diseases.

About

• Under this initiative data on critical diseases will be collected in real-time, and monitored and analyzed on centralised software in the country.
• This program will help in early detection of disease outbreaks, and reducing the associated morbidity and deaths.
• Under this program, surveillance data will be recorded for 33 diseases, up from the current number of 18.

Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP)

• It was launched with World Bank assistance in November 2004 to detect and respond to disease outbreaks quickly.
• The Programme continued during 12th Plan (2012-17) under NHM with outlay of Rs. 640 Crore from domestic budget only.

Objectives:

• To strengthen the disease surveillance in the country by establishing a decentralized State based surveillance system for epidemic prone diseases to detect the early warning signals.
• Identification of cases and cluster of cases that are of public health importance
• Prevention of further transmission of disease
• Limiting mortality and morbidity
• Assessment of public health importance
• Analysis of trends of a particular disease’s outbreak
• Demonstrate the importance of public health interventions
• Allocate funds for healthcare
• Monitoring of preventive and control measures
• Identification of risk factors and developing hypothesis
• Identification of high groups and geographical areas

Programme Components:

• Human Resource Development – Training of State Surveillance Officers, District Surveillance Officers, Rapid Response Team and other Medical and Paramedical staff on principles of disease surveillance.
• Use of Information Communication Technology for collection, collation, compilation, analysis and dissemination of data.
• Strengthening of public health laboratories.
• Inter sectoral co-ordination for zoonotic diseases

Significance

• Real-Time monitoring of the disease and victims will help to cease the spread of communicable disease.
• Identification of area affected by a particular disease along with facilities available to combat that disease will help to contain that disease in that region.
• Identification of healthcare facilities in affected area will help to estimate their efficiency and enhance them, if needed.
• Cluster wise approach can be applied as some of the disease such as one caused by Nipah was limited to an area only.
• Real time monitoring will lead to better coordination between different levels of government and different agencies. Health, a subject mentioned in state list is always a matter of bone contention between center and state.