Disaster’s knock

Like the terrorist attack, natural disaster comes unannounced. Terrorist targets are normally predefined. However, in the case of natural ca...

Like the terrorist attack, natural disaster comes unannounced. Terrorist targets are normally predefined. However, in the case of natural calamities the victim’s address is unknown. The tsunami, and the disasters in Mumbai, New Orleans and now Muzaffarabad bring into focus the ignorance and the lack of preparedness of both developed and developing countries.

Recent reports indicate that the threat of a pandemic may well be at the doorstep of many countries. The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed at least 65 people in four Asian nations since late 2003. According to a report, the Avian flu virus emerging in Asia shared some of the genetic characteristics of the flu virus that killed more than 50 million people worldwide in 1918, shortly after World War I. This huge catastrophe happened because the virus had jumped directly from birds to humans and subsequently human-to-human disease spread had taken place. Fortunately, till date, in all recent cases of bird flu only those who have come in close proximity of the birds have died and no case of subsequent human-to-human spread has been reported.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that India is likely to be hit badly if a bird-flu pandemic breaks out. Indian authorities claim that they have a contingency plan in place and they will procure anti-viral drugs as soon as human-to-human transmission is reported anywhere in the world. Luckily for India, no avian influenza case has been reported so far.

Story continues below this ad

It is claimed that India is free from bird flu because it is not a chicken importer. What India needs to be worried about is infection from migratory birds, particularly when cases of bird flu are being reported in birds other than chicken too. Many species of migratory birds visit India even during winter months. The government needs to study the pattern of migration and the bird flu record of the countries these birds visit en route.

Experts are of the opinion that stockpiling of drugs and vaccines is no answer to these threats because the speed of disease spread may overtake the infection’s treatment. India should consider itself ‘‘blessed’’ that in spite of neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Thailand, China and Myanmar facing this problem, they are yet to encounter a threat of a serious nature.

But now a few cases have been reported even in far-flung countries like Turkey and Romania. Hence, the authorities should not remain complacent. There is a need to look beyond the conventional methods of pandemic handling like storage of drugs. There is no harm in pressing the panic button now instead of suffering at a later stage.

To tackle such a situation, the country needs to have facilities like rapid vaccine production plants, ensured supply of antiviral drugs and, most importantly, trained manpower and equipment to handle any eventualities.