Non-specialists fill entomologist posts in NE India, committee finds

Who it concerns: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; citizens of the North-Eastern Region (NER), particularly tribal communities and those in remote areas.

What the committee found

• Committee noted that only the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine is provided free of cost in India, despite international availability for other diseases, and recommended indigenous vaccine development for dengue and chikungunya.
• Committee identified a critical shortage of trained entomologists and gaps in laboratory infrastructure, recommending the establishment of a North Eastern Regional Entomology Training Hub and expansion of Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories.
• Committee flagged challenges in real-time disease surveillance due to terrain and weak feedback mechanisms, recommending an NER-specific surveillance bulletin, AI-powered early-warning systems, and mobile applications in vernacular languages.
• Committee observed that cross-border migration and ecological factors like unregulated pig rearing contribute to disease spread, recommending a cross-border coordination mechanism with Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar, and regulation of pig rearing.
• Committee recommended ensuring universal coverage of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT), and developing a region-specific multi-sectoral strategy.
• Committee noted underreporting in tribal communities due to lack of regular health reporting systems, recommending door-to-door surveillance, strict adherence to the one-ASHA-per-habitation norm, and periodic revision of incentives for ASHA workers.

Also in the document

• The Committee noted that several sanctioned posts for entomologists at state and municipal levels are filled by non-specialists.
• The Committee recommended implementing AI-powered early-warning systems to predict disease hotspots and using machine learning for vector recognition from citizen-reported images.