Epidemiology Division is the core division of the National Institute of Communicable Disease, Delhi. The Division is the WHO Collaborating Centre for Epidemiology and Training. The important activities being undertaken by Epidemiology Division are as under:

1. Training (Manpower development)

   
   
   

   1. Regional Field Epidemiology Training Programme

      Division as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Epidemiology and Training organizes three month Field Epidemiology Training Programme every year for middle level health managers of countries under WHO South East Asia Region. The main objective of the programme is to develop skills in the field applications of epidemiology in prevention and control of diseases.

   2. Training of WHO Fellows

      The Center imparts training to WHO fellows from outside and within the countries in the field of epidemiology.

   3. Regional Training Programme in Epidemiology for paramedics

      The Center conducts 4-week training programme every year for paramedics from the countries of South East Asia Region in prevention and control of communicable diseases.

   4. Training of State Rapid Response Teams

      10 days training programme is organized from time to time depending on requirements for state level rapid response teams to strengthen surveillance system and as a part of preparedness to initiate response to the outbreak or impending outbreak situation under National Surveillance Programme for Communicable Diseases.

   5. Training on prevention and control of specific communicable diseases

      Short duration training programmes are organized for state/ district level health officials in prevention and control of epidemic prone diseases like Japanese encephalitis,dengue, cholera, viral hepatitis, meningococcal meningitis etc.

   6. Training of state/ district officers under Yaws Eradication Programme

      The Division organizes training programmes for health manpower development under the Programme for its effective implementation

2. Development of training material

   Division has developed training modules of surveillance. Outbreak investigations and on specific diseases for different categories of health personnel.

3. Public health programmes management

   The division is the focal point for two national health programmes viz. National Surveillance Programme for Communicable Diseases and Yaws Eradication Programme in India.

   1. National Surveillance Programme for Communicable Diseases

      National Surveillance Programme for Communicable Diseases has been launched in 1997 to strengthen the disease surveillance system so that early warning signals of impending outbreaks are recognized and appropriate timely action is initiated. The main objective of the programme is capacity building at district and state levels. The programme is being implemented by the state health authorities utilizing the existing health infrastructure by strengthening of surveillance system through training of the medical and paramedical personnel, up-gradation of laboratories, and development of rapid communication and data processing system. The programme is in operation in selected districts as a pilot project and is envisaged to cover 100 districts in phased manner by the end of 9th five-year plan period.

   2. Yaws Eradication Programme in India

      Yaws is a severe disfiguring and disabilitating non-venreal treponemal infection and problem is perpetuating in remote inaccessible hilly and forest tribal pockets in India. A central sector programme with the objective of interrupting the transmission of infection is in operation since 1996-97. The strategy as worked out by National Institute of Communicable Diseases is active detection and treatment of cases and close contacts. The programme is being implemented in nine endemic states by the local health authorities

4. Outbreak investigation/ Rapid Health Assessment

   The Division provides technical support to the states health authorities in undertaking investigation of disease outbreaks as and when requested. The important outbreaks investigated during 2000 are cholera in IIT Delhi campus; JE in Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Bihar; leptospirosis in Mumbai, malaria in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, encephalitis in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

5. Applied Research

   A number of research projects are currently being undertaken on epidemiological aspects of various communicable diseases. Important ones are on viral hepatitis, diphtheria, cholera, dengue, vaccine coverage evaluation.