The “One Health” pilot project aimed at improving national and State-level resource allocation and policy ecosystem on early prediction, detection, and diagnosis of zoonotic diseases through increased quality, availability, and utility of data evidence, was launched in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The project has been initiated by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD).
One Health is a multi-sectoral approach that takes into consideration human, animal and environmental health and the interconnectivity and interdependence of these three elements. The idea becomes especially important after the COVID pandemic for taking a holistic approach.
Speaking at the launch, Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, said, “The One Health India programme will work to improve livestock health, human health, wildlife health, and environmental health by institutionalising the coordination among animal, human and wildlife departments, improving disease diagnosis and surveillance, digitising the data collection and sharing mechanism and enabling enhanced communication among community members on the need to pay attention to zoonotic diseases and for implementing One Health.”
“This pilot project will help institutionalise coordination among various sectors thereby making data sharing and reporting procedures on disease outbreaks feasible. It will facilitate, strengthen, and integrate the laboratories in a network,” he said. The pilot in Karnataka will form the basis for development of the One Health Framework for India.
