A paper presented at National Seminar on CHEM-BIO Threat and Reponses, 5-6 July, DESTO at NESCOM, Islamabad
The term of ‘emerging infectious diseases’ is used for underlying concerns about the appearance of new viral infections such as HIV and the resurgence of bacterial infections. From the 1990s, the emerging infectious disease paradigm has become established, with its own journals, conferences and post graduate courses. Scientists, doctors and the public now think about infectious diseases as ‘emerging’ – not as a thing of the past, but of the future. Any new infectious disease is by definition ‘emerging’, and any pre-existing infectious disease you might think of is still infects people is – ‘re-emerging’. What then is the link between ‘Emerging Infectious Diseases’ and bioterrorism. The use, or alleged use, of infectious diseases as weapons to terrorize one’s enemies has a long history.
The BTWC Implementation and National Security Strategy will be strengthening emergency management systems, would not only make the country better able to manage terrorism, but also all infectious disease outbreaks and mass casualty dangers. The issue of bioterror illustrates how the emerging infectious diseases worldview had become established to the extent that it became the ‘natural’ frame of reference to conceptualize the threat of bioterrorism. The emerging Infectious diseases cannot be detected easily and on time as they have incubation period of 7-20 days and easily travel through boarders. Therefore, there is a need to develop effective surveillance system, efficient and sensitive detection system with the best connectivity with the health system nationally and internationally.
