Observing that India was experiencing epidemiological transition, President Ram Nath Kovind on May 4 said there were three challenges in disease control that included reducing the maternal and infant mortality rate and communicable diseases.

Participating in the Centenary of Medical Education of the Christian Medical College (CMC) here, he said primary and secondary healthcare facilities have undergone a change for the better and in this context Tamil Nadu has exceptional health indicators and remains a model for the country. He said Institutions such as CMC have contributed to this deserved reputation. Noting that Public health was a global public good and a basic human right, he said despite the strides made in the country, there remain regional, rural-urban and gender and community imbalances in terms of health provision.

'Without adequately addressing these, we cannot rest. Without adequately addressing these, the mission of CMC will not be complete', he added. Mr Kovind said as societies evolve, economies develop and population patterns change, countries go through epidemiological transitions. Noting that India too was experiencing such a transition, he said it was marked by three challenges in disease control and all the three has to be managed simultaneously.

He said first, India should reduce the maternal and infant mortality as well as communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, vector-borne diseases like malaria, water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoeal diseases, and vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and tetanus. 'Second, India has to find an answer to the rise in non-communicable or lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and many cancers. And finally we need to develop systems to detect and cope with new and re-emerging infectious diseases like HIV, avian flu and H1N1 influenza', the President said.