Question : Life Saving R&D during Epidemics

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked membercountries, including India, to develop a Research & Development (R&D) blueprint to accelerate life saving R&D during epidemics due to seasonal outbreaks like dengue, malaria, Chikungunya and swine flu, etc.;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereon, along with the number of cases reported upon due to these diseases during each of the last three years;

(c) whether the United Nations agency has also asked countries to develop a mosquito control strategies to minimise the impact on socio-economic burden due to these diseases; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government for introduction of new treatment methods, vaccines and preventive care to tackle such epidemics?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a) & (b): World Health Organization has developed a Blueprint for a global strategy that allows rapid activation of research and development activities for better understanding of an epidemic prone disease, development of life saving drugs, vaccines and diagnostics, for prevention of such epidemics. This Blueprint was unveiled at the World Health Assembly held in May 2016. As of now, India has not adopted this blueprint.

The number of cases of dengue, malaria, chikungunya and swine flu reported during each of the last three years is at Annexure.

(c) & (d): UN Medical Services Division for UN Duty Stations has issued guidelines for Best Management Practice for Mosquito Control Program on 23 February 2016. This document is targeted towards UN duty stations with mosquito-borne diseases, and aims to provide best management practices to support implementation of a comprehensive mosquito control and surveillance program in such duty stations.



The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended Integrated Vector Management (IVM) as a strategy to improve vector control. IVM is a decision-making process for the management of vector populations, so as to reduce or interrupt transmission of vector-borne diseases. In consonance with the WHO guidelines, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) has issued guidelines for integrated vector management for control of mosquito.

The new diagnostics introduced by Government of India include bivalent Rapid Diagnostic Tests for diagnosis of Malaria, IgM Elisa and NS1 Elisa tests for diagnosis of Dengue, IgM Elisa for Chikungunya and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and rapid test for diagnosis of Kala-azar. The new treatment methods opted are Artisunate Combination Treatment –Artemether Lumefantrine (ACT-AL) for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum cases in North-East States and Artesunate Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine (ACT-SP) for other states.

JE vaccine has been introduced as part of routine immunization programme for JE affected districts.

As for preventive care, Long Lasting Impregnated Bednets (LLINs) have also been introduced in the NVBDCP as an intervention tool for vector control.