Remote sensing uses sensors to acquire information about objects or areas without direct contact. It can be passive, using natural radiation sources, or active, using artificial sources. GIS organizes spatial data in databases and allows for visualization and analysis. Both tools have many applications in public health, including disease surveillance, outbreak prediction and response, health resource allocation, and monitoring interventions over time. In Assam, a project used remote sensing and GIS along with epidemiological data to develop an early warning system for Japanese encephalitis outbreaks from 2002-2006. The NRHM in Assam has also created a web-based GIS system for health facility planning and management. Overall, remote sensing and GIS are valuable tools for improving public health when

1. Application of GIS and Remote
Sensing in Disease Prevention and
Control with special Reference to
Assam
Presentor: Moderator:
Dr. Ramkesh Prasad Dr. (Mrs.) Rupali Baruah, MD
PG Student Professor
Department of Community Medicine
Gauhati Medical College

2. Remote Sensing
Remote Sensing is the science and art of acquiring information
about material objects, area, or phenomenon, without coming
into physical contact with the objects, or area, or phenomenon
under investigation.
Passive : Makes use of sensors that detect the reflected or
emitted electro-magnetic radiation from natural sources.
Active : Makes use of sensors that detect reflected responses
from objects that are irradiated from artificially-generated
energy sources (RADAR, LIDAR, SONAR, Infra-red).

3. History of Remote Sensing
Our ancestors used the primitive method of RS (e.g. standing on high
cliff or tree to view the landscape), then came the use of lenses.
1858 Nadar used balloon to photograph Bievre, France
1860 James Black took photographs from balloon over Boston
1882 Archibald took first aerial photographs from kites
1903 carrier pigeons were used for surveillance activities
The two great Wars and the Cold war added new dimensions to
Remote Sensing technology

5. Components of Remote Sensing
Sensors Processing Application
Energy Source
Platforms
Active Passive
Interpretation
& Analysis

6. Components of Remote Sensing

7. Geographical Information System
• Is a computer-aided DBMS and mapping technology that
organizes and stores large amount of multipurpose information.
• Allows visual display of tabular information, providing an
interface between the data and map.
• Makes it easy to present information to key decision-makers
quickly, efficiently and effectively.

8. HISTORY OF GIS
1854 John Snow depicted Cholera outbreak in London using points to represent the
location of cases, possibly the earliest use of geographic method.
1911-38 Malaria commission forecasted several epidemic in India
1985 CHAART took a project on the application of RS & GIS to human health
problems in China.
1993 Health Maps were created jointly by WHO & UNICEF
1998 Prediction of villages at risk of Filaria transmission in Nile Delta (Hassan et al)
1994 High/low malaria risk villages in Mexico (Beck et al)
2001 Predictive habitat modeling for Anopheles dirus in whole of India using
GIS (Srivastava et al)
2002-06 Development of early warning system for JE (RMRC, Dibrugrah)

9. Functions of GIS
• Data entry
• Display
• Editing of Data
• Database query
• Overlay
• Statistical extraction
• Output generation

10. What is Overlay?

11. USES OF GIS REMOTE SENSING
1. Agriculture & Forestry
2. Urban and Rural Planning
3. Health Services
4. Disaster Management
5. Marketing Research
6. Geology and Archeology

12. USE OF GIS & REMOTE SENSING IN HEALTH
1. Emergency Medical Services Delivery, 108, 911
2. Surveillance of Vector borne diseases: Malaria, Filaria, JE etc.
3. Monitoring contamination of ground water
4. Air pollution and its impact on human health

13. Recent uses:
• Study on Cholera in Bangladesh in collaboration with CDC
• Early warning system for the outbreak of JE in Dibrugarh, Assam
• In Patna: to assist immunization activities in interior areas using GPS
in collaboration with CDC
• Leprosy elimination in Tamil Nadu in collaboration with DANIDA
• Evaluation of Immunization coverage using GIS in Gujarat

14. USES IN PUBLIC HEALTH
• Determining geographical distribution of disease
• Analyzing spatial and temporal trends
• Mapping of population at risk and stratify risk factors
• Assessing health care needs of a community and resource allocation
• Planning and targeting interventions
• Monitoring disease and intervention over time
• Forecasting epidemics

15. • Identify gaps in immunizations
• Monitor the utilization of health centres
• Route health workers, equipment and supplies to service
locations
• Locate the nearest health facility.

16. DISEASES CURRENTLY UNDER SURVEILLANCE
USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS IN INDIA
• JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS
• MALARIA
• DENGUE
• FILARIA

17. Early warning systems for JE in Assam
A Project was done on “Development of an early
warning system for the outbreak of JE with the help of
Remote Sensing and GIS in conjunction with the
epidemiological studies in Assam”
by RMRC, Dibrugarh and NESAC, Umiam
from 2002-2006

18. Source: RMRC, Dibrugarh

19. Source: RMRC, Dibrugarh

20. Source: RMRC, Dibrugarh

21. WebGIS based Planning & Facility management
System developed by NRHM, Assam

22. Bongaigaon

23. Abhayapuri FRU - Bongaigaon

24. Abhayapuri FRU - Bongaigaon

25. Abhayapuri FRU - Bongaigaon

26. Abhayapuri FRU - Bongaigaon

28. Remote Sensing with GIS and Primary Health Care
• Intersectoral coordination
• Appropriate technology
• Technical co-operation among countries
• Community participation

29. THANK YOU