Kerala Government Honoured by American Virology Institute for Nipah Virus Containment

The Kerala Government was felicitated by the Institute of Human Virology at Baltimore in the United States for the pro-active measures the government took to contain the spread of the Nipah virus earlier this year.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on 6 July received the award on behalf of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the people of Kerala from Dr Robert Gallo, who is the co-founder of the Baltimore institute and a renowned scientist in the field of virology.

Vijayan said this honour was a recognition to the public health system of Kerala. The fact that Kerala was able to ascertain Nipah infection in the second patient itself is an achievement. All individuals who were suspected to have contacted the first patient were brought into observation. People who exhibited the symptoms were quarantined and observed.

Once the Nipah virus was confirmed, all government machinery moved in tandem to contain the spread. The hospital employees were immediately given special training and the required equipments. The health workers were in constant contact with more than 2,000 people, who were suspected to have contacted the Nipah virus infected patients during the incubation period. It was this caution and the work in unison that helped Kerala to contain the spread and also to reduce the number of deaths to a great extent.

Kerala is able to provide an almost free medical care. The state has been successful in ensuring preventive vaccines to newborns for the past few decades. These measures have enabled the state to lead in the Social Development indicators.

Despite the high life expectancy, Kerala is facing an unusually higher number of lifestyle diseases, and the government has said its priority is to bring them under control. ‘Mission AARDRAM’ declared by the LDF government is expected to be a way forward in this direction.