New Delhi: India’s Health Ministry is set to conduct a comprehensive review of the nation’s public health infrastructure in light of escalating cases of respiratory illnesses among children in certain regions of China.
Against the backdrop of the winter season, known for a surge in respiratory illness cases, the Union Health Secretary has issued a directive to states and Union Territories (UTs) to promptly assess their public health and hospital preparedness.
The review encompasses an evaluation of hospital bed availability, stocks of drugs and influenza vaccines, medical oxygen supply, antibiotics, personal protective equipment, testing kits, reagents, operational status of oxygen plants and ventilators, and infection control practices in healthcare facilities.
This initiative aims to ensure that the country is adequately equipped to handle any potential surge in respiratory illness cases.
China is currently seeing a surge in respiratory infections, including influenza and pneumonia clusters among children, leading to overwhelmed hospitals and global concern. Despite China’s situation, India’s Health Ministry has said that there is no cause for alarm within the country.
“So far there is no concerning surge in respiratory illness cases here in India. Some seasonal incidents are being noticed, which is quite usual during this time of the year,” the Ministry said.
To enhance surveillance, states have been advised to implement ‘Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in the context of COVID-19,’ focusing on integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens, specifically influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI).
District and state surveillance units are tasked with closely monitoring trends among children and adolescents.
Furthermore, the guidelines require states to upload data on ILI/SARI on the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP)-Indian Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal from public health institutions, including medical college hospitals.
Nasal and throat swab samples from patients with SARI, especially children and adolescents, are to be sent to Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) for testing respiratory pathogens.
The Health Ministry emphasises that the collaborative measures implemented are proactive and precautionary, aimed at countering potential situations and ensuring citizens’ safety.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has noted an increase in respiratory illnesses in northern China, attributing it to factors like influenza, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and the cyclical trend of respiratory illnesses.
WHO, however, has stated that there is currently no cause for alarm and that the surge is likely linked to the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions during China’s first full winter season since declaring an end to the pandemic in December.
The organisation is seeking additional information from Chinese authorities to monitor the situation closely.
