The ongoing global pandemic has brought a significant tremor in the pattern of disease reporting. As gleaned from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme’s (IDSP) weekly outbreak reports, there has been an unusual decrease in cases of diseases other than Covid-19. This considerable shift can be credited to the concentrated efforts and resources towards combatting the novel coronavirus pandemic. This article scrutinises the situation, delves into its reasons and suggests possible ways ahead.
About the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme
Launched in 2004 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with support from the World Bank, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) serves as a comprehensive platform dedicated to disease surveillance. It covers at least 600 districts and offers services like data entry, data analysis, outbreak reporting, and access to training modules and resources related to disease surveillance. The IDSP’s portal issues weekly reports detailing the disease outbreaks across the country.
Current Scenario
As per the recent update on the IDSP portal for Week 12 (March 16-22, 2020), a paltry six disease alerts have been registered across the nation. These alerts, raised when a region records a significant number of related cases, included one instance of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, three instances of chickenpox, and one case each of dengue and food poisoning. Contrarily, during Week 11 of the same year, the alert count stood at 28, twelve of which were due to Covid-19.
Past Scenario
Drawing comparisons with the past years, the same week in 2019 recorded 17 alerts; 2018 had 28 alerts, and 2017 logged as many as 45 alerts. However, the alarming fact remains that after Week 12 of 2020, there are no subsequent records available.
Reasons for Under-Reporting
Several reasons can be attributed to the unexpected dip in disease reporting. Firstly, the nationwide lockdown and the behavioural changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic have led to fewer reports of other diseases. Secondly, the sole focus on testing and treating Covid-19 at government healthcare facilities has potentially overshadowed the identification and treatment of other diseases. Lastly, the IDSP is currently dealing with a shortage of manpower amidst the ongoing pandemic, thereby affecting its functional efficiency.
Way Forward
Observations suggest that the pandemic’s singular focus has instigated a negative impact on surveillance and reporting of other diseases. This is indicated by a decline in notifications of fresh tuberculosis infections and a general decrease in claims under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. While enhancing Covid-19 surveillance is crucial, it is equally important to ensure robust overall surveillance and timely updates about existing infections. Therefore, while the pandemic requires serious focus, India cannot afford to neglect other diseases and infections.
