Govt introduces surveillance mechanism, training modules for chemical emergencies

New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) The Centre has introduced training modules for public health professionals to enhance their preparedness for rapid response to chemical hazards, aided by a surveillance mechanism for early warning, assessment and mitigation of health risks due to chemical exposure.

Three specialised training modules have been developed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under the Health Ministry in partnership with NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority), with technical support from the WHO India.

From early detection to onsite response and timely medical help, these modules work in cohesion, developing a framework that tackles all-round chemical emergency management.

The three modules are: preparedness, surveillance, and response for public health management of chemical emergencies; pre-hospital management of chemical emergencies and medical management of chemical emergencies. According to the plan, each district should form a Chemical Emergency Rapid Response Team (RRT). This team will include members from the health department, police, fire services, disaster management units, ambulance services, and paramedical staff.

They will receive technical training in identifying chemical hazards, using personal protective equipment (PPE), decontamination procedures, and providing chemical first aid.

When necessary, the RRT will reach the incident site, move affected individuals to decontamination units, and collect chemical samples for testing and reporting.

India is rapidly emerging as a major global hub for industrial and technological development. As chemicals form an integral part of modern industrial systems, the pace of industrialisation has simultaneously heightened the risk of exposure to chemical hazards, the document said.

Uncontrolled releases of such substances can have serious implications for public health and the environment, potentially resulting in chemical emergencies.

These chemical emergencies have a profound impact on human health, often resulting in casualties, long-term consequences, and damage to property and the environment.

Effective management of chemical emergencies can help minimise the potential damage caused by such events, the document said.

Emergency planning and preparation can help identify potential hazards and develop procedures for responding to emergencies, including notification, evacuation, and communication protocols, it stated.

Surveillance is a crucial public health measure to be undertaken for raising timely alerts and early warnings. While infectious disease surveillance is well-established in India through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), chemical surveillance remains underdeveloped, the document highlighted.

"Currently, no mechanism for medical surveillance exists for identifying or alerting to cases with plausible chemical exposure, as also highlighted in the NDMA(National Disaster Management Authority)guidelines on chemical disaster. Hence, a surveillance mechanism to generate timely early warning signals for chemical incidents was perceived by integrating it into the existing IDSP program and developing mechanisms for reporting through the IHIP portal," it said.

The modules present a structured approach to establishing chemical surveillance by adapting methodologies from disease surveillance, focusing on early detection, data integration, and rapid response to chemical incidents. Chemical surveillance plays a critical role in identifying, assessing, and mitigating health risks related to chemical exposure in the population.

Effective human resource management is essential to ensure adequate staff capacity and the continuity of operations during any incident that increases demand for human resources.

The document lists clinical guidelines for hospital management and assessment of preparedness of health facilities, beds, equipment and antidotes.

It focuses on equipping public health professionals and responders with the necessary skills, expertise and specialised training to handle various types of disasters, including chemical emergencies, to effectively respond to such situations.

The training covers assessing the situation, implementing safety measures, decontamination and initiating rescue operations to protect affected individuals and mitigate the impact of the chemical incident. PTI PLB MPL MPL