Monitoring Zoonotic Diseases Among Frontline Forest Staff Initiative Launched

A new initiative aims to monitor zoonotic diseases among forest staff and nearby residents for better health safety

Monitoring Zoonotic Diseases Among Frontline Forest Staff Initiative Launched
Monitoring Zoonotic Diseases Among Frontline Forest Staff Initiative Launched

PUNE: The Maharashtra forest department is kicking off a cool new project. They want to keep an eye on zoonotic diseases, especially among bird sanctuary workers and folks living near wetlands.

This initiative, which started in January, is a collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and other local institutions. They’re really focused on creating a real-time surveillance model to catch any potential disease spillovers.

Recently, they held a sensitization program to raise awareness among forest staff. NR Praveen, the chief conservator of forests, mentioned that these workers are often at risk but might not take symptoms seriously. They plan to roll this out across the state gradually.

As part of the program, frontline staff and nearby residents will be tested for zoonotic infections. They’ll need to give written consent to participate in a three-year seroprevalence study.

Satish Pande from the Ela Foundation, who’s involved in this project, said it’s not just about helping the staff but also protecting the community. The data collected will help improve detection models for these infections.

Zoonoses, which are diseases that jump from animals to humans, are becoming a big public health issue. Some well-known examples include the Nipah virus and avian influenza. Wild birds can carry these diseases, making it crucial to monitor them closely.

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