Ahmedabad: The state is reeling under Chandipura virus (CHPV), recording the highest number of cases and deaths in the country. This follows outbreaks of cholera in multiple districts and mumps earlier this year. Given the recent pattern, can diseases, particularly those transmitted by animals, birds and other organisms, be accurately predicted? What underlying factors contribute to these outbreaks?
A study revealed the state’s increased susceptibility to brucellosis (a bacterial infection also known as Malta fever), rabies transmitted through dog bites, and avian flu affecting birds, animals, and humans based on multiple risk factors.
The findings were the outcome of two rounds of stakeholder meetings involving public health experts and representatives of animal husbandry, health and forest/wildlife departments convened by the Centre for One Health Education, Research and Development (COHERD) at the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPH-G). The meetings covered the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
The findings were published recently in the research paper, ‘Prioritisation of Emerging and Epidemic-prone Diseases and Risk Factors in India’s Three Western States Using the One Health Risk and Disease (OHRAD) Prioritisation Tool’, authored by Sandul Yasobant, K Shruti Lekha and Shailee Patil among others. The authors are from IIPH-G, DMIMS Wardha, University Hospital Bonn in Germany and Parul University.
Prof Deepak Saxena, director of IIPH-G, said that the concept of One Health emphasizes understanding risk factors through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
“In the meetings too, we had officials from health and family welfare, animal husbandry, agriculture and wildlife departments. Their inputs on perceived risks and risk factors will help us prioritize preparations and resource utilization to tackle the diseases,” he said.
Dr Yasobant, co-lead of COHERD, added that it was for the first time that the tools were developed and standardized to understand the risk factors and diseases.
“We had earlier conducted a smaller exercise in Ahmedabad, but the recent meetings covered state-level issues. The strength of these tools lies in the involvement of diverse stakeholders including experts on climate change. By calculating the accumulated risks, we can prepare better for future epidemics,” he said.
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