The interdependence between humans, animals and environment has been made increasingly evident with the emergence of pandemics such as COVID-19. It is not just humans who are affected by pandemics but also livestock — an example being the outbreak of lumpy skin disease that has spread across countries.
The recent decision on the ‘National One Health Mission’ by the cabinet marks a milestone.
In July 2022, the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) endorsed the setting up of the ‘National One Health Mission’. Since then, 13 Ministries and Departments as well as science funding agencies — this includes 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, or Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy — the Ministries of Health, Animal Husbandry and Environment as well as Defence came together to shape the mission, taking one of the most holistic approaches to one health and pandemic preparedness in the world. There was consensus among the leadership of these Ministries to have a National Institute for One Health. Based in Nagpur, it is to be the anchor in coordinating activities nationally, and the nodal agency to coordinate international activities across the space of one health. The foundation stone of this institute was laid by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11, 2022.
