Nations under threat from invisible killers

WHO guidelines on preventing spread of communicable diseases

Blood samples being taken from a patient at the Sir Ronald Ross Institute for Tropical Diseases in Hyderabad. File

While visa and border controls have been tightened across the globe to check illegal migration and human trafficking, the World Health Organisation(WHO) has recently published a handbook of guidelines for all member countries to prevent the entry and control of tropical diseases.

“International borders are under constant threat from the disease-causing organisms,” explains Dr. Ashwani Kumar, entomologist and Deputy Director at the ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, in Goa, who prepared the first draft of the handbook.

Underlining the importance of the guidlines which includ inputs from several experts across the world, Dr. Kumar told

The Hindu that contagious diseases like malaria, plague, SARS, H1N1, Zika, Chikungunya and dengue, have spread across international borders.”

“All countries including India are required to implement International Health Regulation(IHR), 2005, passed by the World Health Assembly to prevent entry of vector and pathogen species having potential to cause epidemics of viral, parasitic and bacterial diseases via sea, air and land routes.”

In India, Directorate General of Health Services is the nodal agency for implementation of these regulations at the points of entry.

Aircraft cabins on international flights are treated with aerosol just after take-off and before landing to kill pathogens and insects that might have entered the aircraft while at the airport or in the hangers.

Similarly kitchens, galleys, cabins and holds of ships must be routinely treated against insects and rodents. The ships are inspected routinely by the Port Health Officers.

Trains, buses and trucks across international borders are inspected and must carry a certificate of treatment as per IHR 2005 regulations

Dr. Kumar said his experience as advisor for vector control with the Mormugao Port Trust(MPT) and the Airport Authorities of India had come in handy while writing the handbook, which he calls “India’s contribution to the global health agency”.