With Covid-19 pandemic exposing significant gaps in global health preparedness, a report by Niti Aayog expert group has underscored the need for responding in the first 100 days of an outbreak and suggested enacting separate legislation to handle public health crises if any in future.

The report, “Future Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response – A Framework for Action,” proposes the creation of a Public Health Emergency Management Act (PHEMA), which would facilitate a holistic approach to health management, covering prevention, control, and disaster response.

The report which provides a blueprint for the country to prepare for any future public health emergency or pandemic and have a rapid response system comes amid WHO warning to tackle the unknown deadly ‘Disease X, which could be 20 times deadlier than COVID-19’.

Led by Dr. Renu Swarup, with members including Dr. Soumya Swaminathan and Dr. Sujeet Singh, the expert group’s proposals aim to better equip India and the global community for future pandemics and health emergencies.

 “It will allow a holistic approach to health management, covering prevention, control, and disaster response, the report added. “The Act would also provide for the creation of skilled public health cadres at national and state levels,” said the report which also outlines recommendations for establishing a dedicated Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response (PPER) fund and creating institutionalised and empowered governance mechanisms.

“The report highlights the need for a well-structured scorecard mechanism to regularly monitor progress on key preparedness targets, especially in light of WHO warnings about potential new zoonotic outbreaks. As countries and international organizations work to enhance their readiness for novel pathogens, the WHO has identified approximately 30 viral and bacterial families with potential epidemic or pandemic risk.

These targets necessitate focused research, development of advanced diagnostic techniques, and effective countermeasures. The report’s recommendations align with global efforts to bolster pandemic preparedness and response capabilities.