Integrated Disease Surveillance in India: Way Forward

Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) with 9 years of its implementation in India has given a positive impetus to integration of surveillance functions primarily for epidemic prone diseases and decentralized symptoms-based detection of early warning signals of outbreaks at primary health care level. This review is based on systematic literature review through PubMed and Google Scholar databases and published reports of the IDSP from 2005-2013. It attempts to describe the progress and projects future directions for integrated disease surveillance. District and sub-district level are pivotal to the IDSP. District level epidemiology needs further strengthening with effective use of improved tools of data collection and analysis; and training for analytical and predictive epidemiology. States/UTs should ensure presence of adequate data managers, epidemiologist, microbiologists, entomologists and veterinary specialist for regular and effective monitoring & evaluation of the project activities and generating operational research evidences. The district and regional public health laboratories need up-gradation to shift from sheer clinical testing to detecting and monitoring epidemic threats, and assistance in improving quality of outbreak investigation and reporting. The IDSP should have a technical advisory group to supervise and guide it future progression