NITI Aayog’s framework for future Public Health Emergency

Syllabus :GS 2/Health 

In News

• An expert group formed by NITI Aayog has recommended a comprehensive framework to manage future public health emergencies. 

What is a Public Health Emergency (PHE)? 

• Public Health Emergency (PHE) refers to a significant occurrence or imminent threat of an illness or health condition, whether natural or man-made, that poses a risk of substantial injury or harm to public health. 
• This includes threats from infectious diseases, biological toxins, chemical agents, nuclear agents, radiation hazards, and situations involving mass casualties or natural disasters.

About framework  

• The Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response (PPER) framework advocates for a new Public Health Emergency Management Act (PHEMA) and additional measures to ensure a rapid and effective response within the first 100 days of an outbreak.
  • It would empower both central and state governments to respond effectively to health emergencies, including pandemics and bioterrorism, and create public health cadres trained for emergency response.
• Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS): The report suggests forming an EGoS led by the Cabinet Secretary to oversee public health preparedness and monitor efforts during non-emergency times.
  • This group would develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for pandemics and establish sub-committees for various functions.
• Other Recommendations include enhancing the disease surveillance network, particularly monitoring human-bat interfaces due to the historical links between bat species and pandemics like Covid-19.
  •  A national biosecurity and biosafety network should be established, integrating research institutions and genome sequencing centers.
• Emergency Vaccine Bank: The establishment of an emergency vaccine bank is suggested to source vaccines both domestically and internationally.
• Epidemiology Forecasting Network: A network for predicting transmission dynamics and assessing countermeasures is proposed, along with a network of Centers of Excellence (CoE) focused on developing diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for priority pathogens as identified by the World Health Organization.

Importance in Present Scenario 

• Public health emergencies and disasters present transnational challenges that necessitate a coordinated global response. 
• Effective disaster and public health systems are essential for preparing communities to respond to and recover from these threats. 
• The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need to strengthen the resilience of existing public health emergency and disaster management systems.
  • To enhance national capacity for preparing for and responding to disasters and infectious diseases with pandemic potential, a multidisciplinary approach is crucial.

Do you know ? – One Health Approach refers to the interface for coordination, collaboration and communication between human, animal, and the environment sectors for disease prevention and control in particular zoonotic diseases, anti-microbial resistance (AMR), etc

Issues and Concerns 

• The Epidemic Diseases Act (EDA), 1897, and the National Disaster Management Act (NDMA), 2005 lack specific definitions for critical terms like “epidemic” and do not adequately address the processes for drug/vaccine dissemination or quarantine measures.

Conclusion 

• The new framework serves as a foundational step for enhancing India’s preparedness and response to future pandemics, drawing lessons from the COVID-19 experience and providing a structured approach for effective management of public health emergencies.
• There is the need for special attention to the Indian regulatory system, highlighting the importance of global harmonization of regulatory norms.
  • This would facilitate the acceptance of regulatory data by recognized authorities worldwide and establish a common framework for innovative technologies, enabling accelerated emergency approvals.

Source: IE