In India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare conducts exit screening in all international airports, ports and border check points. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) is the nodal agency for outbreak investigations, having a Central Rapid Response Team to investigate outbreaks and assist the state in implementing necessary public health measures. To report any suspected disease or any pandemic situation, such as cases of H1N1, individuals are encouraged to call the Monitoring Cell of NICD at 011-23093401.
In addition to these activities, there was a felt need to have an institutionalized mechanism to capture and disseminate disease outbreak information to officials who are responsible for initiating further action. The IDSP integrated call center, operating around the clock and with timely access to information about officials responsible for responding to epidemics, was launched as a public-private partnership once it was determined that the necessary technology made this an efficient operating method. In this regard, the Government of India has partnered with various private providers to set up call centers in 10 cities.
When individuals dial 1075, they are redirected to the appropriate call center based on their geographical locations. After details of the patient's complaint is noted, call line operators recommend a series of actions for each reported incident and provide further information regarding epidemics to create awareness about the spread of infectious diseases.
In its first year of operation, the call center led to the detection of five disease outbreaks, including cholera, acute diarrheal disease, and chickenpox.
