21227500
not annotated - annotated - LINNAEUS only
Continuing challenge of infectious diseases in India.
In India, the range and burden of infectious diseases are enormous. The administrative responsibilities of the health system are shared between the central (federal) and state governments. Control of diseases and outbreaks is the responsibility of the central Ministry of Health, which lacks a formal public health department for this purpose. Tuberculosis, malaria, filariasis, visceral leishmaniasis, leprosy, HIV infection, and childhood cluster of vaccine-preventable diseases are given priority for control through centrally managed vertical programmes. Control of HIV infection and leprosy, but not of tuberculosis, seems to be on track. Early success of malaria control was not sustained, and visceral leishmaniasis prevalence has increased. Inadequate containment of the vector has resulted in recurrent outbreaks of dengue fever and re-emergence of Chikungunya virus disease and typhus fever. Other infectious diseases caused by faecally transmitted pathogens (enteric fevers, cholera, hepatitis Ahepatitis A and E viruses) and zoonoses (rabies, leptospirosis, anthrax) are not in the process of being systematically controlled. Big gaps in the surveillance and response system for infectious diseases need to be addressed. Replication of the model of vertical single-disease control for all infectious diseases will not be efficient or viable. India needs to rethink and revise its health policy to broaden the agenda of disease control. A comprehensive review and redesign of the health system is needed urgently to ensure equity and quality in health care. We recommend the creation of a functional public health infrastructure that is shared between central and state governments, with professional leadership and a formally trained public health cadre of personnel who manage an integrated control mechanism of diseases in districts that includes infectious and non-infectious diseases, and injuries.
Ann file
T1 Species 467 470 HIV
N1 Reference T1 Taxonomy:12721
T2 Species 625 628 HIV
N2 Reference T2 Taxonomy:12721
T3 Species 913 930 Chikungunya virus
N3 Reference T3 Taxonomy:37124
T4 Species 1050 1061 hepatitis A
N4 Reference T4 Taxonomy:12092
T5 Species 1050 1059;1066 1075 hepatitis E viruses
N5 Reference T5 Taxonomy:12461
#1 AnnotatorNotes T4 TODO check span: virus related
T6 Species 880 886 dengue
N6 Reference T6 Taxonomy:12637 Dengue virus