Context:
The intricate relationship among humans, animals, and the environment has become increasingly apparent in light of pandemics like COVID-19. These outbreaks don’t just affect human populations; they also impact livestock, as evidenced by the spread of diseases like lumpy skin disease across countries.
Relevance:
GS2-
- Health
- Government Policies and Interventions
Mains Question:
The One Health approach is not a static endpoint but rather an ongoing journey of refinement and adaptation. Comment. (15 Marks, 250 Words).
National One Health Mission:
- The recent establishment of the ‘National One Health Mission’ by the cabinet represents a significant milestone. This initiative was endorsed by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) in July 2022.
- Since then, 13 Ministries and Departments, along with science funding agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Department of Pharmaceuticals, and AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy), as well as the Ministries of Health, Animal Husbandry, Environment, and Defence, have collaborated to shape the mission.
- This collaborative effort represents one of the most comprehensive approaches to one health and pandemic preparedness globally.
- The leadership of these Ministries reached a consensus on establishing a National Institute for One Health.
- Located in Nagpur, this institute will serve as the focal point for coordinating national activities and as the nodal agency for international collaboration in the realm of one health. The Indian Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for this institute on December 11, 2022.
- The objectives of the ‘National One Health Mission’ encompass developing strategies for integrated disease surveillance, coordinated outbreak response, collaborative research and development (R&D), and facilitating seamless information sharing to enhance control measures for both routine diseases and those with pandemic potential.
Significance of the Initiative:
- While diseases affecting humans, like COVID-19, are widely recognized, illnesses impacting animals, such as foot and mouth disease or lumpy skin disease, can significantly disrupt productivity and trade. Additionally, diseases like canine distemper affect wildlife populations and their conservation efforts.
- Only through a concerted and coordinated approach can we effectively prepare for such diseases, as well as emerging threats that could spark the next pandemic, such as avian influenza or Nipah virus. Pandemic readiness requires a robust focus on intensive research and development (R&D).
- Targeted R&D efforts are essential to enhance preparedness against emerging diseases by creating essential tools like vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, which are crucial not only for India but also for the global community.
- In this endeavor, various participating departments such as the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Indian Council of Medical Research, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and the Department of Pharmaceuticals will play pivotal roles.
- However, it’s not just government entities but also academic institutions and the private sector that will be crucial stakeholders in realizing this vision.
- Effective collaboration among these stakeholders can only be achieved through close coordination between the central government and state governments.
- Collaborating with states will not only facilitate the adoption of this approach at the grassroots level but will also provide valuable insights during implementation, leading to the evolution of an effective strategy.
- It’s worth noting that the One Health approach is not a static endpoint but rather an ongoing journey of refinement and adaptation.
A Network of Laboratories:
- As part of the mission, a national network of high-risk pathogen laboratories (Biosafety level or BSL 3 and BSL 4) has been established.
- This initiative aims to consolidate laboratories managed by various departments, enhancing the coordinated response to disease outbreaks across human, animal, and environmental domains.
- By pooling resources and infrastructure, this network enables more efficient utilization of costly but essential facilities, facilitating a more integrated approach to combating diseases like Nipah virus, which involve multiple species such as bats, pigs, and humans.
- Furthermore, India needs to strengthen its epidemiological and data analytics capabilities. Efforts under the mission focus on leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and disease modeling to enhance epidemiological capacity across sectors.
- Innovative approaches like genomic surveillance from wastewater, which showed promise during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be expanded to other sentinel sites where animals (both livestock and wildlife) congregate.
- This broader application aims to mainstream these approaches into routine surveillance across human, animal, and environmental sectors.
A global Issue:
- ‘One Health’ is a global concern that gained significant attention during India’s presidency of the G-20.
- This approach was widely supported by all member nations, emphasizing collaboration in key areas such as enhancing surveillance capacity, analytical capabilities, and establishing an international network of ‘One Health’ institutes.
Conclusion:
‘One Health’ extends beyond diseases to encompass broader issues like antimicrobial resistance, food safety, plant diseases, and the effects of climate change on these domains. Addressing intersectoral topics like ‘One Health’ requires the active involvement of not only diverse governmental agencies but also non-governmental organizations, academia, the private sector, and citizens. By adopting a collaborative and actionable framework, we can progress toward the overarching goals of ‘One Earth, One Health‘ and ‘Health for All’.
