Notifiable Disease

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has asked the Delhi government to make malaria and dengue notifiable diseases.

What is a Notifiable Disease?

A notifiable disease is any disease which is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease and provides early warning of possible outbreaks.

The onus of notifying any disease and the implementation lies with the state government. Any failure to report a notifiable disease is a criminal offence and the state government can take necessary actions against defaulters.

Benefits of making a disease Notifiable

• Since the Registered medical practitioners need to notify such diseases in a proper form within three days, or notify verbally via phone within 24 hours depending on the urgency of the situation, every government hospital, private hospital, laboratories, and clinics will have to report cases of the disease to the government.
• The process helps the government keep track and formulate a plan for elimination and control. In less infectious conditions, it improves information about the burden and distribution of disease.
• Making a disease legally notifiable by doctors and health professionals allows for the necessary intervention for controlling the spread of highly infectious diseases.

The Centre has notified several diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, encephalitis, leprosy, meningitis, pertussis (whooping cough), plague, tuberculosis, AIDS, hepatitis, measles, yellow fever, malaria dengue, etc.