New Delhi (The Hawk): As concerns grow about the alarming rise of tomato flu, ebola, measles, and other infections in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, leading healthcare experts have emphasised the need to strengthen national health programmes, such as those involving key immunizations, and to expand the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP).
In the country, the IDSP is a decentralised, state-based monitoring programme. It is designed to detect early warning signals of oncoming outbreaks and facilitate a prompt, efficient response.
"Re-emerging illnesses such as measles and drug-resistant tuberculosis are serious public health concerns in India at this moment. Existing national health programmes suffered greatly during the epidemic due to resource diversion and shifting objectives "Professor at the Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS in New Delhi, Dr. Harshal R. Salve, told IANS.
Salve emphasised that the moment has come to focus on boosting national health programmes such as immunisation, TB, and IDSP with additional funding, infrastructure development, and capacity building.
The repeated reappearance of novel and diverse infection-causing organisms has posed a threat to the population, particularly in light of the recent pandemic.
Other diseases, particularly those caused by viruses such as Ebola, Measles, and more recently Tomato Flu, are spreading over the world. The majority of these infections are the result of human-animal interactions.
"Moreover, the majority of these infections are caused by viruses that are known to mutate easily and adopt a form that allows them to evade the body's immune system. The persistent mutation and alterations in its genetic coding pose obstacles to the development of effective, curative medications or vaccinations "says Dr Anurag Aggarwal, Consultant-Internal Medicine, Marengo QRG Hospital, Faridabad.
According to Dr. Neha Rastogi, Consultant for Infectious Diseases at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute, "we are currently witnessing the emergence of a pandemic spectre."
"Due to the widespread use of antimicrobials in the current context, antimicrobial-resistant superbugs/bacteria have spawned a significant super pandemic. Considering the ongoing propagation of these multidrug-resistant diseases, it is important to tackle this asymptomatic epidemic "The doctor told IANS.
Due to a complicated interaction between the immune system and altered environmental conditions, new viruses and their ever-changing varieties are on the rise.
In the coming decades, the risk of such pests will increase as a result of climate and environmental change, rapid urbanisation, and an increase in global migration facilitated by improved connectivity.
According to Dr. Ravindra Gupta, Head of Department of Internal Medicine at C.K. Birla Hospital in Gurugram, "climate change may alter the range of global diseases, allowing infections, particularly vector-borne infections, to spread across new terrains."
Changes in the environment and land use practises have led to an increase in animal-human interactions.
Consequently, animal viruses are being passed to people, causing issues for humanity.
"Global warming is another significant factor in the creation of new viruses. There is an urgent need to increase disease surveillance, comprehend the biological processes that contribute to the growth of vectors such as mosquitoes, ants, etc., and take the necessary steps to control them "Dr Gupta said.
(Inputs from Agencies)