Haryana notifies regulations for vector-borne diseases

Haryana government has notified the amended Haryana Epidemic Diseases (malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis) Regulations, 2024.

All government and private hospitals, clinics and laboratories in Haryana will have to report every confirmed case of vector-borne diseases to the concerned civil surgeon within 24 hours of detection along with complete patient details.

Under the new framework, information must also be updated on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal to ensure real-time monitoring and coordinated response.

Haryana government has notified the amended Haryana Epidemic Diseases (malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis) Regulations, 2024.

“Now the provisions have been made to penalise the violators of the regulations,” additional chief secretary (health) Sumita Misra said informing that the notification has been issued under Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, in view of the continued threat posed by outbreaks of malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Japanese Encephalitis (JE). The regulations have come into immediate effect and will remain in force till March 31, 2027.

Under the new framework, information must also be updated on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal to ensure real-time monitoring and coordinated response.

To protect patients from excessive medical charges during outbreaks, the government has capped the cost of recommended dengue tests. Private hospitals and laboratories are not permitted to charge more than ₹600 and private hospitals have been directed not to charge more than ₹11,000 per patient for single donor platelets (SDP), if required. In cases where private laboratories do not have ELISA testing facilities, they must refer patients or send blood samples to designated government laboratories for confirmation.

The regulations also empower designated inspecting officers, appointed by the director general health services or civil surgeons, to enter any premises for surveillance, anti-larval measures, fogging or spraying operations.

Non-compliance with the regulations will attract penalties. Hospitals or laboratories that fail to follow approved diagnostic protocols, do not report confirmed cases, declare cases without confirmatory testing, or submit incomplete patient details may face monetary penalties. A fine of ₹1,000 will be imposed for the first violation, ₹5,000 for the second violation and ₹10,000 for the third or subsequent violation. Continued non-compliance may invite further action under Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

Misra stated that the objective of these regulations is to strengthen early detection, ensure standardised diagnosis and treatment, enhance transparency in reporting, and prevent exploitation of patients during outbreaks.