India Launches Training Modules to Strengthen Chemical Emergency Preparedness in Health Sector
SDG 3: Good Health & Well-being | SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
Institutions: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) | National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
India has launched three specialised training modules to improve the health system’s ability to prevent, detect and manage chemical emergencies. Developed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), these modules focus on preparedness and surveillance, pre-hospital response, and medical management of chemical incidents.
The initiative supports India’s commitments under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) and strengthens the country’s wider health-security architecture. Launched in New Delhi on 23 October 2025, the programme brings together coordination between national agencies, responders and technical partners, including WHO India, to ensure faster and more coordinated action during hazardous chemical events. The aim is to reduce casualties, protect frontline workers and build resilient emergency systems in both industrial and public settings.
By shifting from reactive response to systematic preparedness, this initiative enhances India’s institutional capacity to manage chemical hazards — an urgent need given industrial growth and environmental risk. It strengthens health-system readiness, improves inter-agency coordination, and equips frontline personnel with standardised skills that protect public health while improving accountability in crisis governance.
What is the International Health Regulations (2005)? → A legally binding WHO framework that requires countries to build and maintain core capacities to detect, assess and respond to public-health threats, including chemical emergencies.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
What mechanisms will ensure nationwide rollout, certified training, and regular updates to the modules as chemical-hazard risks evolve?
Follow the full news here: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2181694