Centre, states review disease surveillance, public health programmes

The Union Health Ministry held a two-day national review meeting in New Delhi with representatives from all 36 States and UTs to bolster disease surveillance systems and key public health programmes through a data-driven KPI framework.

As part of the Government of India's continued efforts to strengthen disease surveillance systems and enhance preparedness against emerging public health threats, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organised a two-day National Review Meeting on Disease Surveillance and Public Health Programmes in New Delhi on July 16-17.

As per an official release, the meeting brought together senior health leadership from all 36 States and Union Territories to review the implementation of key public health programmes, assess progress in disease surveillance, and deliberate on strategies to strengthen data-driven governance through a structured framework of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Key Programmes Reviewed

During the two-day meeting, State and Union Territory representatives reviewed the progress of key national public health programmes with a focus on strengthening data-driven governance through a structured framework of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Detailed deliberations were held on the National One Health Programme for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses, National Rabies Control Programme, Programme for Prevention and Control of Leptospirosis, National Programme for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming, Disaster Management, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Pandemic Preparedness, Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP), Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health, and the National Bio-Monitoring Programme for Chemical Toxicants.

Key Outcome: Unanimous Adoption of KPI Framework

The meeting also served as an important platform for States and Union Territories to share experiences, best practices and innovative approaches for strengthening disease surveillance systems and improving public health programme implementation. A key outcome of the meeting was the unanimous adoption of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) framework by all 36 States and Union Territories, with a commitment to achieving defined targets and performance benchmarks for strengthening the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of key public health programmes.

Commitment to Monitoring and Action

The Centre and States/UTs also agreed to undertake monthly performance reviews to assess progress against the defined KPIs, identify implementation gaps and facilitate timely corrective action. Based on the findings of supportive supervision undertaken by SPOT members, the States and Union Territories further committed to addressing critical operational bottlenecks and enhancing the delivery of disease surveillance and other public health programmes.

The National Review Meeting reaffirmed the collective commitment of the Government of India and the States and Union Territories towards building a more responsive, resilient and data-driven public health system through strengthened disease surveillance, enhanced preparedness, coordinated action and continuous monitoring of programme performance across the country.

Inauguration Details

The meeting was inaugurated by Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary (Public Health), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in the presence of Loveneesh G Krishna, Director General of Health Services (DGHS); Sukhlal Meena, Director (Public Health); and Arti Bahl, Additional Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and representatives from key development partner organisations. (ANI)

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