Ten Years of Disease Surveillance in Kashmir, India under Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) During 2006-2016

Introduction: Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) is a decentralized districtbased system of weekly surveillance for communicable diseases, initiated in Jammu and Kashmir, India during 2006-2007. This article aims to evaluate its physical performance regarding prevention and management of disease outbreaks as well as strategic actions that promoted public health during the last decade. Methods: IDSP report disease alerts/ outbreaks on a weekly basis, and the information flow follows its administration structure (Rapid Response Teams, State/District and Central Surveillance Units). Diseases covered under IDSP include Air, Water, Vector Borne Diseases as well as Vaccine Preventable Diseases and laboratory work for confirming an outbreak includes testing of water & blood samples, stool, and urine, wound or blood cultures. Results: In the latest years, IDSP has investigated more than 300 disease outbreaks, and more specifically 16 outbreaks in 2011, 54 in 2012, 57 in 2013, 45 in 2014, 45 in 2015, 51 in 2016 and 52 in 2017 (Jan-August). Major outbreaks investigated include the Cholera outbreak in Waterhail (2010), the Influenza A H1N1 outbreak in Sangerwani and Ardibal (2011), the Hepatitis C outbreak in Anantnag District (2013) as well as the Hand Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in District Leh (2016). Furthermore, it founded the water quality monitoring programme and promoted the intersectoral co-ordination with animal husbandry department for the management of zoonoses. Conlusions: IDSP has been a great asset to Kashmir’s public health during the last decade, rais-ing community health awareness and contributing to the effective and timely management of disease outbreaks.