Antibiotic Resistance, Disease X, Flu: How India Is Gearing Up To Tackle The Next Likely Pandemic

Add as a preferred source on Google

Arboviruses, multi-drug resistant bacteria, Nipah, Marburg virus and the dreaded Disease X - one among them may cause the next Covid like pandemic if the World Health Organization (WHO) is to be believed. A silent pandemic is also knocking on our doors - antibiotic resistance.

Is India ready to tackle the next pandemic? Read on...

India's Preparedness for the Next Pandemic

As India celebrates its 77th Independence Day with a firm eye on being a developed country in the next 23 years, how ready is the country to fight against the next pandemic?

The coronavirus pandemic exposed the fragility of India's healthcare system. But, the Covid-induced transformation of the healthcare sector in the past two years has shown how health has been prioritized by India more than ever since Independence.

Lessons Learned from COVID-19

Experts said while India was better prepared to tackle a pandemic after Covid from experiences it had gathered, more work was needed in surveillance and early detection of possible threats [1].

The unprecedented Delta wave tragedy during April-June 2021 peak taught us crucial lessons on pandemic preparedness. With capacity building efforts post-Delta wave, we have achieved all that is required to handle large pandemics or natural catastrophes of similar size.

Expanding Healthcare Infrastructure

Citing an example, Dr Gilada said India had just 10 RT-PCR labs at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and within a year, that expanded to a staggering 10,000 plus.

Dr Laxman Jessani pointed out that during the Covid wave, India also battled other outbreaks like Nipah in Kerala, Tomato Flu and monkeypox at the same time. India is better prepared compared to other countries because India has the resources, better manpower and good expertise as well.

Seasonal And Zoonotic Influenza To Cause The Next Pandemic

The WHO has warned that seasonal and zoonotic influenza will likely cause the next pandemic. Three out of four new diseases are zoonotic, which means infections present in animals are increasingly getting transferred to humans.

India has become one of the first nations to frame a strategy in this regard with Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone for the National Institute for One Health in Nagpur.

Importance of Surveillance And Detection

Experts highlighted that most people in India do not take influenza vaccines annually as they are unaffordable. Influenza vaccines range anywhere between Rs 1,800 and Rs 2,000. The rise of new pathogens has put a focus on genomic surveillance to track the mutation of viruses.

Organisations like CDC are keeping a check on all these new infections.

Tackling Antibiotic Resistance

Calling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) not a future but present threat, experts said AMR will end up being a major man-made calamity if timely action was not taken. Usage of high-end antibiotics needs to be curtailed and the government's step to restrict over-the-counter sale of antibiotics was in the right direction. AMR will only increase in the future.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.