Syllabus: GS III, Subject: Science and Technology, Topic: Medical science and Health, Issue: Vaccine Administration in India
Context: Reports indicate that guinea worm disease is close to eradication.
Disease elimination:
- Disease elimination aims at stopping transmission in a defined region, while eradication permanently eliminates a pathogen with no risk of reintroduction.
Significance of disease elimination certification:
- Enhances public health, energizes the health system, and improves primary care, diagnostics, and surveillance.
- Encourages preparedness and attracts international support.
- Increase involvement of field staff and community health workers, with high political and bureaucratic commitment and public support.
The way ahead
- Careful planning, considering costs, benefits, and political support.
- Prioritizing pathogens with high impact and low prevalence.
- Essential investments in surveillance, laboratories, workforce training, monitoring.
- Localized and phased strategies.
- Multisectoral collaboration and resource redeployment.
| +1 Advantage for mains(Data point)
● Kala azar is now confined to five Indian states. ● Ending malaria, tuberculosis, and Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2030 is a SDG. ● Guinea Worms, with no known medicines or vaccines, will be the second disease eradicated after smallpox. |
