India

Kerala is a small state in India, having a population of only 34 million (2011 census) but with excellent health indices, human development index and a worthy model of decentralised governance. Integrated Disease Surveillance Program, a centrally supported surveillance program, in place since 2006 and have carved its own niche among the best performing states, in India. Laboratory confirmation of health related events/disease outbreaks is the key to successful and timely containment of such events, which need support from a wide range of Laboratories-from Primary care centers to advanced research laboratories, including private sector. In a resource constraint setting, an effective model of Partnership have helped this state in achieving great heights. Networking with laboratories of Medical Education Department, and Premier Private sector laboratories, Financing equipment and reagents through decentralised governance program, resource sharing with other National programs, Laboratories of Food Safety, Fisheries and Water authorities have resulted in laboratory confirmation of public health events to the extend of 75-80% in the past 5 years in the state. Etiological confirmation accelerated response measures, often multidisciplinary, involving Human health sector, Animal Health, Agriculture, wild life and even environmental sectors, all relevant in One Health context.

Objective: To prove the role of partnerships in Disease Surveillance and Response to emerging public health threats in Kerala state, India.

Civil Registration system (CRS) in India has been in vogue for more than 100 years now. The registration of Birth and Deaths Act, 1969 came into force in 1970. Even after 4 decades of the enactment of the act, there are wide inter-state and intra-state variations. India is the second largest populated country in the world after China. Whereas as the level of registration of birth and deaths varies from (84.4 and 69.3) registrations. In India, more than 250 thousand of registration centers are involved in central registration system and estimated births per years are 26 million, and the corresponding figure for death is 8 million (Sethi 2016).

Objective: To see the level and trend of the vital registration system in India and its states form 2005-2015. To identify factors influencing civil registration in India.

Civil Registration System (CRS) in India has been in vogue for more than 100 years now. The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 came into force in 1970. Even after 4 decades of the enactment of the Act, there are wide inter-state and intra-state variations. Our study is on Andhra Pradesh (AP), a South Indian state with a population of 84.6 million (Census of India, 2011) wherein the birth and death registrations varies from 23.2% - 148.6% registrations. We conducted an analysis of four (2007 - 2010) years civil registration data of AP.

Objective

1. To assess the district wise reporting and registrations of births and deaths in AP from 2007 - 2010. 2. To make an urban vs. rural comparison of proportions of these registrations. 3. To identify factors influencing civil registration in AP and steps for strengthening CRS.

The IDSP is the key indicator based surveillance system in the country to fulfill the core surveillance and response functions requirement under the IHR–2005. Periodic reviews of the IDSP in the country have shown that it has been ineffective in meeting its main objective of disease control in the country. Efforts are required to systematically identify and adequately address the factors affecting the performance of IDSP for it to achieve its objectives and ensure compliance to the IHR-2005 requirements for national and global health security.

Objective

The goal of this study was to assess and review the factors (core and supplementary surveillance system attributes and functions) affecting the outcome of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) in the state of Andhra Pradesh, in India.

Smart governance refers to the emergence of joint action by the health and non-health sectors, public and private actors and citizens. Although, there are growing literature on governance and its potential impact on health, major challenges on collective action across sectors have been witnessed in developing countries like India. In the same line, the current forms of Global Health Governance façades operational issues and does not sufficiently meet the needs at local levels. In light of these perceived shortcomings, the local governance becomes subject of interest and should be debated especially with reference to global urbanization. Rapid and unplanned urbanization followed by the combination of high population density, poverty and lack of infrastructure have more side effects and fostering conditions for communicable diseases to flourish. Evidence suggests that new megacities could be incubators for new epidemic and zoonotic diseases, which can spread more rapidly and become worldwide threats. In India, Ministry of Urban Development initiated the concept of converting few major cities into “Smart City” in 2015-16. However, one of the major critiques of available smart city guideline is that it has no such focus on prevention of emerging and/or re-emerging zoonotic diseases. The emergence and/or re-emergence of zoonotic diseases should be considered as potential threats for these upcoming Smart Cities and hence, should be addressed by one health approach (health and non-health sectors, public and private actors) through an appropriate local governance strategy. With rapid urbanization and healthcare transformation in India, the operationalization of one health approach might become a major challenge, because of, the absence of the systematic effect at the national level and urban cities are riven between central, state and municipal authorities in terms of health policy, planning, health needs etc. There is also lack of information sharing or collaborations between the health and non-health sectors, public and private actors at the city level. Understanding these challenges can offer important lessons for strengthening both local urban governance and One Health.

Objective:

The present study aims to operationalize one health approach through local urban governance system in a rapidly urbanized Indian city, Ahmedabad, India. In Ahmedabad (proposed Smart city), Gujarat, India: 1. To understand the pattern of zoonotic diseases in reference to urban governance system 2. To develop a conceptual One Health Governance framework with reference to zoonotic diseases 3. To assess the key indicators for convergence for inter-sectorial professional collaborations in One Health

Panchkroshi yatra is an annual ritual of circumambulation (yatra) of temples (Mahadevs) and 100,000 devotees walk for around 15 miles per day for six days and cover a total of 73 miles to worship important Mahadevs. The festival is held every year at the city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, Central India. The yatra attracts large number of pilgrims especially from rural areas and usually women outnumber men. During the yatra, the pilgrims halt at several places and prepare their food in outdoors. We described the public health preparedness, implemented a tablet-based participatory syndromic surveillance among pilgrims of the yatra and reviewed satisfaction of the pilgrims regarding implementation of public health measures, Ujjain during 21-26, April, 2017.

Objective:

To study operation feasibility and prepadness of a a tablet-based participatory syndromic surveillance among pilgrims during annual ritual circumbulation (Panchkroshi Yatra) coveirng 15 miles daily in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh India

Infectious disease surveillance for generating early warnings to enable a prompt response during mass gatherings has long been a challenge in India as well as in other parts of the world. Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh in Central India hosted one of the largest religious festival in the world called ‘Simhasth kumbh mela’ on the banks of River Kshipra, where more than 50 million attendees came for holy dip during April 22 to May 21, 2016. The attendees included pilgrims (residents and visitors), observers, officials and volunteers. We developed an android application with automated summary reports and an interactive dashboard for syndromic surveillance during the gathering.

Objective:

To develop, test and study tablet-based participatory syndromic surveillance system for common infectious disease conditions at community level in Simhashta religious mass gathering in Ujjain, India, 2016.