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    6 Biological Disaster Management - UPSC

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    6 Biological Disaster Management - UPSC

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    6 Biological Disaster Management - UPSC

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 4

    DISASTER MANAGEMENT

    Biological Disaster Management


    by LotusAriseNovember 22, 20220 Comments

    The term “Biological Disaster Management” refers to the emergency plans in place in the
    event of a planned or unintentional biological release. The nature of the occurrence
    determines the response.
    A biological disaster is a disaster caused by the rapid spread of disease among humans,
    animals, and plants, caused by microorganisms like bacteria, toxins, or viruses. It is
    explained as the devastating effects produced by a vast spread of a certain kind of living
    organism – that may spread disease, virus, or infestations of plant, insect, or animal life on
    an epidemic or pandemic level.
    Cholera, influenza H1N1(Swine-flu), and the most recent COVID-19 outbreaks are
    examples of biological disasters.
    Biological Hazards
    It refers to the biological substances or organic matters produced by parasites, bacteria,
    fungi, viruses, and protein that threaten the health of living organisms, primarily that of
    humans—also known as Biohazards
    This comprises the medical waste and samples of a microorganism, virus, or toxin from
    numerous biological sources that can influence the health of the human body
    Biological Warfare (BW)
    Also termed Germ Warfare, it is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as
    bacteria, viruses, and fungi to kill or incapacitate humans, animals, or plants as an act of
    war
    Biological weapons (often termed “bioweapons,” “biological threat agents,” or
    “bioagents”) are living organisms or replicating entities (viruses, which are not
    universally considered “alive”) that replicate within their host victims
    The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is the nodal ministry for Biological Warfare and
    associates with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in its management
    MHA is in charge of evaluating threat perceptions, setting up deterrent mechanisms, and
    providing intelligence inputs

    Biological Disasters – Classifications


    Biological Disasters can take the following forms:
    Epidemic: Epidemics impact a disproportionately large number of persons within a
    group, community, or area at the same time. Examples include Cholera, Plague,
    Japanese Encephalitis (JE), and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).
    Pandemic: A pandemic is an outbreak of existing, new, or reemerging illnesses and
    pestilences that spreads across a broad territory, such as a continent or even the globe.
    Examples include Influenza H1N1 (Swine Flu) and COVID-19.

    Biological Safety Levels


    Charles Baldwin developed the symbol for biohazard in 1966.

    The US Center for Disease Control classifies biohazards into four biosafety levels as follows:
    1. BSL-1: Bacteria and Viruses including Bacillus subtilis, some cell cultures, canine hepatitis,
    and non-infectious bacteria. Protection is only facial protection and gloves.
    2. BSL-2: Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to
    contract via aerosol in a lab setting such as hepatitis A, B, C, mumps, measles, HIV, etc.
    Protection – use of autoclaves for sterilizing and biological safety cabinets.
    3. BSL-3: Bacteria and viruses causing severe to fatal disease in humans. Example: West Nile
    virus, anthrax, MERS coronavirus. Protection – Stringent safety protocols such as the use of
    respirators to prevent airborne infection.
    4. BSL-4: Potentially fatal (to human beings) viruses like Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Lassa fever
    virus, etc. Protection – use of a positive pressure personnel suit, with a segregated air supply.

    Biological Disaster Management System


    The nodal agency for handling epidemics – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
    Decision-making
    Advisory body
    Emergency medical relief providing
    The primary responsibility of dealing with biological disasters is with the State
    Governments. (Reason – Health is a State Subject).
    The nodal agency for investigating outbreaks – National Institute of Communicable
    Diseases (NICD)
    Nodal ministry for Biological Warfare – Ministry of Home Affairs (Biological warfare is the
    use of biological agents as an act of war)
    The NICD/Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) imparts teaching/ training, research,
    and laboratory support

    Biological Disaster – Legislations


    The following legislations have been enacted in India for the prevention of biohazards and
    implementation of protective, eradicative, and containing measures when there is an outbreak:
    1. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
    2. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
    3. The Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Rules (1986)
    4. Disaster Management Act 2005 – this provides for the institutional and operational
    framework for disaster prevention, mitigation, response, preparedness, and recovery at all
    levels.
    Legal Framework
    The Epidemic Diseases Act 1897
    The act was enacted to manage the bubonic Plague of Mumbai in 1897.
    The law provides legal frameworks to manage disasters by providing special powers:
    State Governments: Regulation and Framework to manage Endemic affected
    regions, including Travel restriction
    Central Government: Power to form regulations and prescribe framework and
    restriction on travel.
    Penalty Under Sec 188 of Indian Penal Code.
    People acting under the Act to be protected against any legal proceedings.

    Prevention of Biological Hazards


    The basic measure to prevent and control biohazards is the elimination of the source of
    contamination.
    Preventive Measures for workers in the field (medical):
    1. Engineering controls – to help prevent the spread of such disasters including proper
    ventilation, installing negative pressure, and usage of UV lamps.
    2. Personal hygiene – washing hands with liquid soap, proper care for clothes that have been
    exposed to a probably contaminated environment.
    3. Personal protection equipment – masks, protective clothing, gloves, face shield, eye shield,
    shoe covers.
    4. Sterilization – Using ultra heat or high pressure to eliminate bacteria or using biocide to kill
    microbes.
    5. Respiratory protection – surgical masks, respirators, powered air-purifying respirators
    (PAPR), air-supplying respirators.

    Prevention of Biological Disasters


    Prevention includes the following measures that should be taken before (preventive), during, and
    after any outbreaks.
    Environmental Management:
    1. Safe water supply, proper maintenance of sewage pipelines – to prevent waterborne diseases
    such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, dysentery, etc.
    2. Awareness of personal hygiene and provision for washing, cleaning, bathing, avoiding
    overcrowding, etc.
    3. Vector control:
    Environmental engineering work and generic integrated vector control measures.
    Water management, not permitting water to stagnate and collect and other methods to
    eliminate breeding places for vectors.
    Regular spraying of insecticides, outdoor fogging, etc. for controlling vectors.
    Controlling the population of rodents.
    Post-disaster Epidemics Prevention:
    1. The risk of epidemics is increased after any biological disaster.
    2. Integrated Disease Surveillance Systems (IDSS) monitors the sources, modes of diseases
    spreading, and investigates the epidemics.
    Detection and Containment of Outbreaks:
    This consists of four steps as given under:
    1. Recognizing and diagnosing by primary healthcare practitioners.
    2. Communicating surveillance information to public health authorities.
    3. Epidemiological analysis of surveillance data
    4. Public health measures and delivering proper medical treatment.

    Institutional Framework and operational framework


    National Disaster Management Authority:
    The DM Act, 2005 was adopted on December 26, 2005, with the goal of providing for better
    disaster management.
    The Act aims to establish procedures at the national, state, and district levels to plan, prepare,
    and respond quickly to natural and man-made catastrophes and accidents.
    The Act mandates the following: (a) the establishment of a national apex body, the NDMA,
    with the Prime Minister of India as its Chairperson; (b) the establishment of SDMAs;
    and (c) the coordination and monitoring of DM activities at the district and local levels through
    the establishment of district and local level DM authorities.
    National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC):
    The NCMC, which reports to the Cabinet Secretary, is responsible for coordinating and
    monitoring disaster response.
    The NCMC is made up of 14 union secretaries from several ministries, as well as the
    Chairman of the Railway Board.
    In the aftermath of disasters, NCMC ensures excellent coordination and implementation of
    emergency and relief actions.
    National Disaster Response Force:
    The NDRF was established by the DM Act of 2005 to provide specialised response to a
    threatening disaster situation or disaster.
    The NDMA is in charge of the force’s overall supervision, direction, and control, while the
    Director General of the NDRF is in charge of its command and supervision.

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