Profile of epidemic emergencies in India during 1991-95.

Epidemic emergencies have shown increasing trend in India and most parts of the country appear to be vulnerable to these emergencies. In this paper we present a profile of epidemic emergencies attended by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in the last five years, to delineate aspects that will promote better preparedness and management. Water borne and water related disease epidemics constituted more than 70% of the epidemic emergencies in India. Non 01 cholera epidemics constituted one fourth of total cholera epidemics during 1991-95. Most of the hepatitis outbreaks were attributed to Non A Non B. The source of infection in majority of the cholera and jaundice epidemics was contaminated water. Dengue and resistant typhoid fever were among other emergencies reported during last five years. Some of these epidemic were reported to local health authorities as mysterious diseases due to lack of public health laboratory facilities. Encephalitis and encephalitis like epidemics in the form of Liquor poisoning and chronic Heat syndrome encephalopathy were also observed. The re-emerging disease epidemics like plague in Beed, Pneumonic plague in Surat and malaria in Rajasthan were also investigated during 1994. These observations indicate the weakness in the epidemiological and laboratory surveillance besides inadequacy in water management practices and other socio environmental reasons.