Driving change: Disease surveillance to get a boost in Kerala

A first-of-its-kind in the state, IAV expects that MVOIU could eliminate time lag, as traditionally, collecting samples and transporting them to a central lab could take valuable time, potentially delaying diagnosis and containment efforts.

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‘Expect to commission soon’

“The primary objective of MVOIU is to conduct swift and efficient sample collection, analysis, and reporting to identify potential viral threats and take proactive measures to contain them”

The facility, which is intended for sample collection from medical colleges, and primary health centers will also provide service anywhere in the state as per the requirement of the Health Department.

It is learnt that a light motor vehicle with an 18-seat capacity is being converted as the MVOIU.

The seats will have to be removed to install the equipment required to operate the unit. It will also have a rear footstep projection.

“All these require special permission from the Transport Commissioner. We are waiting for the permission. We expect that we could launch it soon,” said Sreekumar.

At the same time, the Transport Department said that it had granted permission for the alteration subject to the condition that gross vehicle weight shall not exceed the maximum permitted as per type approval.

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Relevance of such a unit

“Early detection is key to containing outbreaks,” Sreekumar said.

“The MVOIU will allow us to act swiftly and decisively, preventing the spread of disease before it becomes a major public health crisis.”

“That means”, he added, “we usually get samples for testing from medical colleges. It happens when a patient arrives there. But with such a unit in place, we could swiftly reach that location where a disease outbreak is being suspected.”

The MVOIU which will be equipped with a biosafety level -2 (BSL-2) lab will primarily collect samples.

“These samples will be sent for testing to the molecular diagnostic lab facility at the IAV, which could test around 88 types of viruses, including Nipah. We will introduce the testing facility at the MVOIU,” said him.

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‘A proactive approach’

According to Dr Aravind R, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, the MVOIU might become a major step in the state’s ability to detect and respond to emerging viral threats.

“By bringing our expertise and resources directly to the field, we could strengthen disease surveillance networks and ensure timely interventions to protect public health,” said Dr Aravind to South First.

According to him, such an initiative will particularly help in the surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI).

“It will contribute to a more proactive approach to managing infectious diseases. More sampling and more access to sampling will give more insights. And thus, minimizing the risk of widespread transmission and associated public health impacts,” added Aravind.

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Part of One Health

Meanwhile, an official of the Health Department told South First that the MVOIU might get tied up with the Centre for One Health Kerala (COH-K), which is responsible for managing the One Health Programme in the state.

“Our state lies in proximity to the Western Ghats, which is a global biodiversity hotspot and home to a large family of flora and fauna that may harbour an array of unknown pathogens.”

“The state also has a highly vibrant tourism which represents a global diaspora. Combined with these are factors like high population density, a large number of non-resident citizens, and the presence of human habitation in the fringe areas and inside forests. Thus, the state is vulnerable to large-scale disease outbreaks, especially zoonotic diseases,” he added.

A unit of this kind might help to address the bottlenecks in preparedness, he opined.

(Edited by Majnu Babu)