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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

AIIMS theft case cracked: Woman posed as doctor to steal jewellery, arrested in Ghaziabad

A 43-year-old woman from Ghaziabad has been arrested for posing as a doctor and stealing jewellery from AIIMS hostel rooms. CCTV and scooter tracking led to her arrest.

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AIIMS theft case

Delhi Police have arrested a 43-year-old woman from Ghaziabad who allegedly posed as a doctor to steal jewellery and cash from rooms in the AIIMS women doctors’ hostel. The arrest followed the investigation of a March 27 theft complaint lodged by a woman doctor at the premier hospital.

The complainant reported that several valuables were missing from her room, including two gold chains, a gold ring, a pair of earrings, a bracelet, ₹4,500 in cash and 522 Malaysian ringgits, approximately ₹10,000 in value. The police launched a probe and registered an FIR.

Caught on CCTV, tracked by scooter registration

During the investigation, police scanned footage from nearly 100 CCTV cameras around the AIIMS premises. A woman in a doctor’s white coat was spotted moving through hostel corridors, attempting to open multiple room doors while most residents were away at work. Surveillance footage also showed her arriving and leaving the hospital compound on a scooter.

By tracking the scooter’s registration number, police traced the accused to Brij Vihar in Ghaziabad, where she was taken into custody.

Lab technician turned thief

According to police, the woman is a science graduate with a diploma in medical lab technology and previously worked as a lab assistant at a private hospital. During questioning, she admitted to having a deep love for jewellery, which she could never afford. This obsession, she said, eventually led her to theft.

She told investigators that she observed women doctors at AIIMS often left their hostel rooms unlocked, making it easier for her to commit the thefts. To avoid suspicion, she wore a doctor’s coat while entering the premises, blending in seamlessly with hospital staff.

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Suresh Gopi backs Waqf Bill amid land row in Kerala, calls it beneficial for Munambam residents

Union Minister Suresh Gopi supports the Waqf Bill citing benefits for Munambam residents, but lashes out at media over questions related to a recent priest attack in Jabalpur.

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Suresh Gopi

Union Minister Suresh Gopi strongly defended the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Friday, asserting that the new legal changes would help people in Munambam, Kerala, who have been disadvantaged due to existing Waqf land claims. Speaking in Kochi, he criticised both the Congress and CPM, remarking, “Some people claimed the Waqf Bill would be thrown into the bin in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Let’s see how it pans out.”

He insisted that the amended law would correct past injustices and benefit local residents who’ve been entangled in ownership disputes involving the Waqf Board.

Heated response on Jabalpur priest attack

Gopi, however, grew visibly agitated when questioned about the recent attack on Malayali priests in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Reacting sharply, he said, “Go ahead and do a post-mortem of my tongue, but don’t dissect my mind.” He compared the incident to past controversies involving Christian leaders in Pala, Kerala, and questioned the media’s line of inquiry, stating, “Who are you? Whom are you questioning? Be very careful while speaking.”

His remarks came as reporters pressed for a response to the assault on Christian priests and community members in Jabalpur.

George Kurien demands justice for Munambam

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurien voiced strong support for the residents of Munambam during a Rajya Sabha discussion on the Bill. He demanded that the Waqf Board produce legal documents to justify its claim over land in Munambam and asserted that ownership must be restored to rightful holders.

Kurien emphasized that “any provision of law that contradicts the Indian Constitution must be amended,” and said that the rights of all religious minorities must be protected. He also accused opposition leaders of trying to mislead the Muslim community in Kerala, whom he described as “gentle and pious.”

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PM Modi-Muhammad Yunus hold first talks after Bangladesh regime change

PM Narendra Modi held his first meeting with Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus since the Hasina government’s ouster. The meeting comes amid strained ties and controversial comments by Yunus.

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Modi Yunus meet

In a significant diplomatic development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, for the first time since the regime change in Dhaka. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also in attendance.

This high-level engagement marks a critical step in recalibrating bilateral ties that have grown tense following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August last year. Relations between the two neighbours have cooled amid political upheaval in Bangladesh and increasing Dhaka-Beijing proximity.

Northeastern remarks spark backlash in India

Adding to the diplomatic friction were controversial remarks by M Yunus during a recent visit to China. In a viral video, Yunus described India’s Northeastern states as “landlocked” and positioned Bangladesh as their gateway to the ocean, even calling it a potential “extension for the Chinese economy.”

These comments triggered strong political reactions in India, especially from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who condemned the statements as “offensive and strongly condemnable.” He expressed concern over narratives targeting the strategic Chicken’s Neck corridor and called for bolstering transport infrastructure to ensure better connectivity of the Northeast with the rest of the country.

Sarma urged the central government to explore alternative road and rail routes that bypass the Chicken’s Neck corridor and cautioned against underestimating the strategic implications of such provocative statements.

India watches Dhaka-Beijing ties with caution

The meeting comes amid India’s rising unease over Bangladesh’s growing tilt toward China, particularly following the political transition in Dhaka. Despite tensions, Prime Minister Modi had written to M Yunus on March 26, extending greetings on Bangladesh’s Independence Day. In his letter, Modi underscored the importance of mutual sensitivity, shared history from the Liberation War, and a continued commitment to peace and prosperity.

India has also voiced concerns in recent months over attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, an issue on which Dhaka has maintained that it is a domestic matter.

With this first formal interaction between Modi and Yunus, both sides may be attempting to arrest the diplomatic drift, though challenges remain, especially in the context of security sensitivities and regional geopolitics.

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