Notifiable Diseases

Notifiable Disease Latest News

The Delhi government is set to declare rabies a notifiable disease to strengthen disease surveillance.

About Notifiable Disease

• A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. 
• Effective notification allows the authorities to monitor the disease and provides early warning of possible outbreaks.
• The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 provides the legal framework for notifying diseases in India.
• Criteria for Declaring a Disease as Notifiable may be:

• • It is of interest to national or international regulations or control programs.
  • Its national/ State/District incidence.
  • Its severity (potential for rapid mortality).
  • Its communicability/Its potential to cause outbreaks.
  • Significant risk of international spread.
• Medical practitioners and diagnostic labs are required to notify the local health department of cases of notified diseases. 
• In India, the state government is responsible for determining which diseases must be reported to the medical officer in their area and to notify the diseases. 
• The government and regional authorities maintain a list of notifiable diseases in India, which is subject to change as new diseases are added or existing ones are removed.
  • Examples: Cholera, tuberculosis, AIDS, dengue, hepatitis, leprosy, meningitis, plague, and measles.
• WHO’s International Health Regulations (1969): Mandates countries to report diseases for global surveillance and advisory purposes.

Source: TH

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