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Study links uneven urbanisation with high risk of cholera outbreaks

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Study links uneven urbanisation with high risk of cholera outbreaks

By Sunderarajan Padmanabhan

Families living in rural areas of districts at higher risk of cholera as funds for water and sanitation infrastructure are diverted to urban areas, say experts

New Delhi: Higher levels of urbanisation are no guarantee for preventing the outbreak of cholera. In fact, a new study by Indian and international experts seems to indicate that higher urbanisation also leads to an increased risk of a cholera epidemic since funds for water and sanitation infrastructure are often allocated disproportionately within an ‘urban’ district, with its rural areas receiving only a pittance.

In other words, the study blames the uneven allocation of funds for water and sanitation infrastructure within districts – urban centres getting more funds than rural areas within a district that is otherwise categorised as ‘urban’. The use of improved sanitation facilities in urban areas in India has increased to 63 per cent as of 2015 while it has gone up to only 28 per cent in rural areas.

“It appears that families living in rural areas of districts with more cities are at higher risk, perhaps because the resources in these districts are allocated to the urban areas, neglecting the rural areas of the district,” the researchers have observed in their study in journal PLOS One.

The study has also found that there seemed to be large scale underreporting of cholera cases. There is significant variation between actual number of cases being reported and ground reality based on the various risk factors. For instance, the study says, Uttar Pradesh did not report any case despite having areas that qualified as ‘high risk’ zones. The reasons for underreporting are limited disease surveillance, inadequate laboratory capacity especially at the peripheral health care centres, and reluctance on part of authorities to acknowledge the problem for fear of societal repercussions.

The findings are based on district level data of cases reported between 2010 to 2015 from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, and socioeconomic characteristics and coverage of water and sanitation obtained from the 2011 census report. Researchers used this data to perform spatial analysis to identify cholera hotspots, and employed a modeling method called ‘zero-inflated Poisson regression’ to identify the factors associated with cholera and predicted case counts at district level.

A total of 27,615 cholera cases were reported during the six-year period. As many as 24 out of the 36 states in the country had reported cholera during these years. Of them, 13 States were classified as endemic. In terms of districts, out of the 641 districts in the country, 78 districts in 15 states were identified as “hotspots” based on the reported cases. However, 111 districts in nine states were identified as “hotspots” from model-based predicted number of cases.

Overall, one-fourth of the districts in India reported cholera and 90 districts of them have been identified as hotspots, making cholera is a widespread major public health problem in the country. It is major problem in West Bengal, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and areas of Himachal Pradesh adjoining Punjab. In addition, most districts in Karnataka have been identified as cholera hotspots. The risk for cholera in a district is linked with poor sanitation and drainage conditions and urbanization level in the district.

The research team included Mohammad Ali and David A.Sack of Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Nirmal K. Ganguly, Sanjukta Sen Gupta, and Nisha Arora of Policy Center for Biomedical Research, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute; Pradeep Khasnobis and Srinivas Venkatesh of National Center for Disease Control; Dipika Sur of Indian Public Health Association; and Gopinath B. Nair of World Health Organization.

(This article is from a syndicated feed provided by the India Science Wire)

India News

Delhi Convention Centre: Why is The Zora Convention Centre built at Delhi’s Lodhi Road special?

It serves as an exquisite venue for weddings, festivals, corporate gatherings, and a variety of other events.

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The Zora, Delhi Convention Center, located near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi, was inaugurated in August 2024. This convention center is specifically designed to cater to global event needs.

Spanning over 2 lakh square feet, The Zora features impressive architectural elements, including 38-foot high ceilings and two pre-designed halls, crafted by the esteemed designer Walid Baz, founder of Baz Events. It serves as an exquisite venue for weddings, festivals, corporate gatherings, and a variety of other events.

In an exclusive interview with APN News, Jyoti Kalash, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and retired IAS officer of The Zora, stated, “The design of this event center is striking. Upon entering the main hall, guests will feel transported to another realm, as there is a glass floor beneath them that can easily support over 1,000 people.”

“The Zora stands out due to its nature-inspired design and outstanding craftsmanship, which was accomplished in just 80 days by an international team, establishing a new benchmark for luxury in India,” the IAS officer emphasised.

Dhananjay Kumar, CEO of The Zora – Delhi Convention Center, also spoke with APN News, stating, “We are offering not just a venue, but a destination for unique, unforgettable experiences. This luxurious and stunning space was completed within an impressive timeframe of only 80 days.”

Know what is special in ‘The Zora’

  • Prime location on Lodhi Road, convenient location for all.
  • Parking facility for more than 2000 vehicles.
  • Designed by award-winning architectural designer Walid Baz, bringing world-class expertise to Delhi.
  • Completed within a time period of just 80 days.
  • Spread over 2 lakh sq ft with two pre-designed halls and spacious customisable areas.
  • The Zora’s design is inspired by nature, offering guests an ambiance of beauty and tranquility.
  • 750 tonnes of iron has been used for strength.
  • 700 intelligent lights have been used with over 20 modes to match the mood of the ceremony.
  • Another large dining area is separate from the Grand Ballroom.
  • The interiors look beautiful and are adorned with intricate handmade designs.

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3 dead, 9 hospitalised after gas leak at fertiliser plant in Maharashtra

According to police, the explosion released toxic chemical fumes.

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Three individuals, including two women, lost their lives and nine others were hospitalised following a gas leak caused by an explosion in a reactor at a fertiliser plant in Maharashtra’s Sangli district, an official said on Friday.

The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 PM on Thursday at the Myanmar Chemical Company, located in Shalgaon MIDC within Kadegaon tehsil.

Sangli Superintendent of Police Sandip Ghuge stated that the gas is suspected to be ammonia.

According to police, the explosion released toxic chemical fumes. “Approximately 12 people in the facility were affected and subsequently taken to the hospital. Tragically, two female workers and a security guard have died, while nine others are currently receiving treatment,” stated Sangram Shewale, Senior Inspector at Kadegaon police station.

Seven of the injured individuals have been admitted to Sahyadri Hospital in Karad, with five of them in critical condition in the ICU.

The deceased women have been identified as Suchita Uthale (50) from Yetgaon in Sangli district and Neelam Rethrekar (26) from Masur in Satara district, PTI reported.

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Ahead of Delhi Elections, Arvind Kejriwal launches Revdi Par Charcha campaign to seek feedback on freebies

Arvind Kejriwal said 65,000 meetings will be held across Delhi at micro levels by the AAP leaders and workers.

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Ahead of Delhi Elections, Arvind Kejriwal launches Revdi Par Charcha campaign to seek feedback on freebies

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday launched a campaign with a tagline Revdi Par Charcha to seek public feedback on freebies. The campaign comes ahead of the assembly elections, which is scheduled to be held in February.

Former Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal launched the campaign with his colleagues at the party office, saying while the opposition calls freebies as revdi, the party calls it services. This campaign will start on November 25 and will continue for 15 days until December 10, discussing the issues with common man.

Notably, the opposition has been targeting the AAP for providing free electricity, water and free public buses for women among other facilities. However, AAP feels freebies help citizens live a life of dignity.

Gopal Rai, AAP’s Delhi unit chief, said that so far, politicians used to enjoy the facilities, while citizens paid taxes. He continued that Arvind Kejriwal’s government decided that the people should also get the facilities like the politicians, adding the BJP called their attempt revdis. He said that AAP is launching the ‘Revdi Par Charcha’ campaign to discuss with the people in the city if the government should provide the facilities or not.

Launching the campaign, Arvind Kejriwal said 65,000 meetings will be held across Delhi at micro levels by the AAP leaders and workers. He said that AAP has six revdis for the people of Delhi. Mentioning that the Prime Minister and BJP have said several times that Kejriwal is providing freebies to the people that should be stopped, the former Chief Minister said that now people will now tell them if they want these six freebies.  He further concluded that if the BJP is elected here, they will stop these services immediately.

While listing the six services, the AAP national convenor said that Delhi is getting free electricity round the clock. He added that there was a time when Delhi used to see power cuts for 8-10 hours, but AAP ensured that the situation changed. He also noted that his party is providing free water, free pilgrimage to senior citizens, free bus rides to women, free world-class education and free medicine and treatments. Additionally, the pamphlet launched by Arvind Kejriwal also listed that soon the women in Delhi will get Rs 1,000 per month as well, later termed as the seventh revdi by the former Chief Minister.

Reports said that the paper will be circulated across the national capital. The paper also reads that if the reader feels they are getting huge water bills, they should not pay it. It mentioned that AAP will waive all water bills once Arvind Kejriwal is re-elected.

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