‘Wastewater surveillance offers early warning of disease outbreaks’
Public health researchers in Pakistan have launched a national wastewater surveillance system to detect infectious diseases early. By analyzing sewage samples, the program aims to provide health authorities with actionable data on pathogen circulation before clinical outbreaks become apparent.
Why it matters
Wastewater surveillance is a cost-effective, non-invasive tool that enhances public health preparedness and disease outbreak response.
comments Join our Whatsapp Channel Add Dawn as a trusted source ISLAMABAD: Wastewater flowing through nullahs may look unremarkable, but for public health researchers it can provide an early indication of the infectious diseases circulating in a community.
Dr Imran Nisar and his colleagues at the Aga Khan University are studying sewage samples to detect the genetic material of disease-causing organisms, sometimes before increases are visible through routine clinical reporting.
“By systematically collecting and testing wastewater samples, we can identify signals of pathogens circulating in a community, including those causing diarrhoeal, respiratory and vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Dr Nisar. “The aim is to complement existing surveillance and give health authorities an earlier indication of possible disease transmission”, he added.
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