Mumbai: Maharashtra health department will now have to maintain district-wise data of children diagnosed with multi inflammatory syndrome (MIS) which needs to be submitted to the Central government weekly. Experts said a registry will help doctors determine areas with high caseloads and possible identifiable risk factors - information that could result in a more targeted approach while dealing with MIS-C.
This decision comes after the Central health department issued a directive to all the states and Union Territories to submit the data of MIS-C cases weekly.
"We are trying to estimate the burden of MIS-C in the country. As this is a condition not being routinely reported through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) or any other portal, I request you to kindly share the weekly incidence (new cases) of MIS-C reported in the state/UT," said Sunil Kumar, DGHS, Union health ministry in the letter to states and UTs on June 2, 2021.
Recently, cases of post-Covid paediatric syndromes have increased and MIS that causes inflammation of organs among children has raised quite a concern among doctors.
Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer said there were hardly any cases in the first wave but now they have learnt each district has 4-5 cases of MIS-C which has raised concern. Following which maintaining a registry will help them to gauge the prevalence. “We have asked all the health officials to collate the data of MIS and submit it soon,” he said.
Doctors have welcomed the move of the Central government which would help in maintaining the district-wise centralised registry of MIS-C. “The registry will help the government track and study emerging trends in MIS-C. It will help strengthen state/UT-wise infrastructure and train doctors on how to deal with the condition,” said a senior health official from the state health department.
“The disease is evolving and a full range of complications, clinical course and its pathogenesis are not fully understood. Having a registry will help us understand long-term implications,” added official.
