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WHO Involvement in Disease Surveillance
in India
The NSPCD was initiated
in 1998 as a pilot project with WHO supporting the
initial 5 districts. It has subsequently expanded to 101 districts. The main
objective of this programme is to:
Detect outbreaks and respond immediately
National Institute for
Communicable Diseases is the coordinating agency for the NSPCD. WHO’s involvement has been in term of providing technical
assistance to NICD to analyse the data, supervise
the districts and help in outbreak investigations. An epidemiologist and a
microbiologist have been placed in NICD and they work with the NICD staff in
implementing this programme.
Integrated Disease
Surveillance Programme (IDSP)
The Government of India
is building on the experiences of the NSPCD and is developing an Integrated
Disease Surveillance Programme. WHO’s inputs into
this has been in the development of an Operations Manual and also developing
the Training strategy. WHO has also provided technical feedback on the PIP
which is to be submitted to the World Bank.
Strengthening Disease
Surveillance in Orissa and Gujarat
Following the disasters
in Orissa (1999) and Gujarat (2001), WHO was
involved in relief and rehabilitation in these two states.
As a part of this package, WHO developed the disease surveillance programmes in these states.
Training
Realising
the limited capacity of the health staff in field epidemiology, the WHO has
been investing in technical assistance to National institutions so that they
can train doctors in Field Epidemiology. 2 such courses are currently being
supported by WHO – the 3 month FETP at NICD and the
2 year FETP at NIE. Other than this, the WHO supports various short course
training programmes.
IT in surveillance
Geographical
Information System (GIS)
WHO has been in the
forefront of introducing IT to surveillance in India. In Maharashtra, WHO has
been supporting the use of GIS in surveillance in 13 districts.
This involved customising the WHO software – HealthMapper for the needs of Maharashtra
and conducting training programme for the staff of
these 13 districts. In these districts, GIS is being used as a regular tool
for mapping outbreaks.
Computerization of the
surveillance system
WHO is in the process of
computerising the surveillance system in the states of
Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
Computers have been provided to the districts and the relevant staff will be
trained in computer applications vis-à-vis surveillance. This will result in
faster transmission of information in both directions and prompt action in
the management of outbreaks.
Research in
surveillance
WHO is supporting 2
Operations research initiatives on the involvement medical colleges and private
practitioners in public health surveillance. Lessons
learnt from these ORs will support the IDSP.
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