PMC to set up metropolitan surveillance unit for diseases

Patna: Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is set to establish a metropolitan surveillance unit following a tripartite memorandum of understanding between the civic body, state govt and Govt of India, according to a press release on Sunday.A team of 17 specialists, including public health experts, microbiologists, food safety officers, veterinary doctors, technicians, and entomologists, will work with the unit.This team has been tasked with monitoring 40 infectious diseases, alongside food safety and waterborne or zoonotic illnesses. The unit will perform scientific analysis on collected information and provide real-time data updates to the Integrated Health Information Platform of the Govt of India. This will ensure timely identification of disease outbreaks, swift intervention, and effective control measures.The project includes setting up of a biosafety level-2 laboratory and a health emergency operation system. This system will generate reports based on data collected from both public and private hospitals. Officials are currently working to complete the establishment process within a designated timeframe to coordinate urban health responses.