Thiruvananthapuram, July 12 (UNI) In view of the rising Nipah cases, the Health Department in Kerala has devised and implemented several strategies across the state to contain the epidemic, said Dr. Rajan Khobragade, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare.
Dr. Khobragade made these remarks while inaugurating an international conference on ‘Nipah and Other Zoonotic Spillovers – Integrating Health Strategies for Prevention’ held here yesterday and emphasized the need for collaboration.
Pointing out the state Government’s commitment to detecting and containing epidemics that have affected the state since 2019, he highlighted the importance of One Health concept in the current scenario and sought support from institutions such as the Institute of Advanced Virology to strengthen the public health system in the state.
The conference was organized in collaboration with the Department of Infectious Diseases, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Kerala One Health Centre for Nipah Research and Resilience.
Dr. Simmi Tiwari, Joint Director of the National Centre for Disease Control, congratulated the Government of Kerala for establishing the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV), stating that the institute has already made a mark in the field of virology and can significantly contribute to improving public health and epidemic preparedness in both the state and the country.
She emphasized the need to expand diagnostic facilities for the timely detection of zoonotic spillover infections that frequently impact the state.
Sessions on various topics were delivered by eminent international and national experts, including Dr. Emily Gurley, Professor of the Practice, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA; Dr. Vidya Arankalle, National Institute of Virology, Pune; Dr. Guruprasad R. Medigeshi, Professor, IISER Tirupati; Dr. Sobha Mammen, Professor, CMC Vellore; Dr. Ummer Karadan, Baby Memorial Hospital, Kozhikode; Dr. Sheen Job, Consultant, Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; Dr. Biju Soman, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology; Dr. Sreelekshmi M, National Institute of Virology, Pune; and Dr. Jon Epstein, Epidemiologist, One Health Science, USA.
