Beyond the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897: Rethinking India’s Public Health Laws for Pandemic Preparedness – Lessons from Singapore

Abstract

The Epidemic Diseases Act (EDA), 1897, was enacted in the late 19th
century in the wake of the third plague pandemic in India and was
a significant step in colonial public health legislation. However, more
than a century later, the COVID-19 pandemic laid out how outdated
this law is for addressing current public health challenges. This research
article examines the historical antecedents and shortcomings of the
EDA, 1897, and compares India’s public health response with that of
a country like Singapore which has a comprehensive and exhaustive
approach to tackling public health through a legal mandate under
the Infectious Diseases Act, 1976. The article also examines the
Public Health (Prevention, Control and Management of Epidemics,
Bio-terrorism and Disasters) Bill, 2017 which tried to replace the EDA

but never came into being due to its centralisation of power and non-
consultation with civil society. The study compares the effectiveness

of lockdown measures taken against the COVID-19 pandemic in both
countries through a comparative analysis of COVID-19 data and stresses
that legal frameworks, governance, and public accountability are
critical in the management of epidemics. The study further provides
practical suggestions to reinforce India’s public health system, focusing
on revamping legal provisions, strengthening healthcare infrastructure
capacities, upgrading Centre-State coordination, and ensuring India
has access to devolved and contextual measures in future crises.
Adaptation of world-class practices including that of Singapore can
help India build a future-ready proactive public health system that can
ensure protection for its population against future health challenges.

How to cite this article:
Anand A, Ranjan P, Kumar R. Beyond the Epidemic
Diseases Act, 1897: Rethinking India’s Public
Health Laws for Pandemic Preparedness – Lessons
from Singapore. J Commun Dis. 2025;57(1):33-43.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202504