Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to depute three high-level multi-disciplinary 3-member teams to Ranchi (Jharkhand), Ahmedabad (Gujarat) and Malappuram (Kerala) to take stock of the upsurge in cases of Measles. The teams will assist the State Health Authorities in instituting public health measures and facilitate operationalization of requisite control and containment measures.
Areas under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and some other districts in Maharashtra have reported a rapid rise in infections and around 10 mortalities caused by the measles virus.
The Central team to Malappuram will consist of experts from RoHFW, Thiruvananthapuram, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry and Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), New Delhi.
The teams will also undertake field visits to investigate the outbreak and assist the State Health Departments in terms of public health measures, management guidelines and protocols to manage the increasing cases of Measles being reported in the three cities. The teams will also coordinate with the States for ensuring active case search in the area and with VRDLs for testing of the identified cases.