Which disease was eliminated from India in the Mid-1970s?

Appeared in: NIMHANS Nursing Officer - 2021

Explanation

Smallpox is the correct answer as India reported its last indigenous case in 1975, fitting the 'Mid-1970s' timeframe.
Following an intense eradication campaign, India was officially certified smallpox-free in 1977.
This achievement was a critical step towards the global eradication of smallpox, declared by the WHO in 1980.
Smallpox is the only human disease that has been globally eradicated, meaning it no longer occurs naturally anywhere in the world.

Option A: Chickenpox (Varicella) has not been eliminated in India and continues to be an endemic disease, although it is vaccine-preventable.
Option B: Polio was eliminated from India much later than the 1970s. The last case was in 2011, and the country was certified polio-free in 2014.
Option C: Measles has not been eliminated in India. It remains a public health concern, and control efforts, including vaccination campaigns, are ongoing.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing History of Disease Elimination in India helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the history of successful public health programs like smallpox eradication provides valuable lessons for current and future disease control initiatives.
Nurses play a crucial role in vaccination campaigns, surveillance, and public education, which are the cornerstones of disease elimination and eradication.
What if? If a patient presented with a rash and fever, a nurse's knowledge of which diseases are eliminated versus which are still endemic (like measles or chickenpox) would be critical in forming a differential diagnosis and implementing appropriate infection control measures.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key components of the question: the action (eliminated), the location (India), and the timeframe (Mid-1970s).
This is a factual recall question based on historical public health events.
Evaluate each option against the specified timeframe.
Recall or deduce the timeline for the elimination of each disease in India.
Polio elimination is a more recent event (2014).
Measles and Chickenpox are known to still be in circulation.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 30-32

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 1043-1045

Practise the full NIMHANS Nursing Officer - 2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.