{"id":16764,"date":"2023-08-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/24-08-2023\/indias-one-health-mission\/"},"modified":"2023-08-24T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-24T00:00:00","slug":"indias-one-health-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/24-08-2023\/indias-one-health-mission","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s One Health Mission"},"content":{"rendered":"

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India\u2019s One Health Mission<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
Syllabus: GS2\/ Health, Government Policies & Interventions, Issues Arising out of their Design & Implementation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
In Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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India is currently preparing for a \u2018National One Health Mission\u2019 which can help India respond better to health crises.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About One Health Approach<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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One Health is a holistic approach to problems that recognises the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> interconnections <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>between the health of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>humans, animals, plants<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, and their <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>shared environment.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
An early articulation can be found in the writings of Hippocrates (460-367 BC), who contemplated the relationships between public health and clean environments.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Significance of One Health Approach<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Link with Zoonoses:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Human population growth, urbanisation, and industrialisation have compounded the damage to biodiversity and ecosystems.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
These harmful environmental changes are linked to zoonoses \u2013 diseases shared between animals and humans.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Researchers have estimated that 60% of emerging diseases that can infect humans are zoonotic in nature. They include bird flu, Ebola, rabies, and Japanese encephalitis.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Issues of antimicrobial resistance:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Humankind has also become beset by major issues of antimicrobial resistance, food safety and security, and the control of vector-borne diseases.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Taken together, these issues warrant both the intersectoral management and the efficiency that characterises the One Health strategy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Minimising resource requirements:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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One Health minimises resource requirements across sectors.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
An important way it does this is by encouraging coordination across governmental units, including the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Environment, and Science and Technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Taking a One Health approach allows researchers to, for example, share their laboratories and findings, and ultimately make decisions that lead to resilient, sustainable, and predictable policies.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Economic benefits:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The economic benefits of One Health are understood in contrast to the cost of managing a pandemic with a non-One-Health approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
An assessment of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>G20 Joint Finance and Health Taskforce<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> estimated the latter to be around $30 billion a year.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
On the other hand, estimates by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>World Bank<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> have indicated that the former would cost $10.3 billion to $11.5 billion annually.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
India\u2019s One Health initiatives<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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COVID-19 initiatives: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2023 highlighted the importance of adopting a One Health approach. Since COVID-19, many interventions based on the One Health model have been launched worldwide.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Standing Committee on Zoonoses: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The Government of India established its \u2018Standing Committee on Zoonoses in 2006 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The purpose of this committee was to provide the Union and the State governments guidance and recommendations on challenges related to zoonoses.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
But the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>pandemic provided a real boost to this topic<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>; India has also floated a <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>number of initiatives in this direction<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> since then.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Consortium on One Health: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The Department of Biotechnology launched <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>India\u2019s first consortium on One Health<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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It <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>brings together 27 organisations <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>from several ministries and plans to assess the burden of five transboundary animal diseases and 10 select zoonotic diseases.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
One Health pilot project: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>In 2022, the Department of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Animal Husbandry and Dairy (DAHD)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> \u2013 in partnership with the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Confederation of Indian Industry<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> \u2013 launched a One Health pilot project in <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Karnataka and Uttarakhand<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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This initiative intends to strengthen intersectoral collaborations through capacity-building, with the goal of improving livestock health, human health, wildlife health, and environmental health.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
National One Health Mission: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>India is also currently preparing for a wider \u2018National One Health Mission\u2019 to be spearheaded by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The idea behind this mission is to coordinate, support, and integrate all existing One Health initiatives in the country.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Suggestions to switch to a One Health approach<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Communication: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Basic mechanisms for communication between various ministries and\/or sectors are required.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The focus is on keeping the important stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the One Health transformation, and helping them meet regularly and review progress.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Collaboration: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>After initiating communication between the relevant sectors, sector members need to exchange their knowledge and expertise in order to translate ideas into short-term interventions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of different sectors in zoonoses management is crucial in this stage.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
For example, to manage a zoonotic disease, collaboration means assessing and lowering disease risk, surveillance, building capacity at different institutions, research, and public outreach.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Coordination: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The activities carried out during this stage are usually routine and long-term. Initiatives to achieve One Health in this stage are spearheaded by a national or a subnational agency (so that it has the authority and the resources to coordinate several ministries).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>forthcoming \u2018National One Health Mission\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>would be an appropriate example of this stage.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Integration: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>A policy framework that helps the relevant sectors to efficiently share resources and streamline their current programmes is essential.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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India\u2019s national and subnational programmes \u2013 such as MoHFW\u2019s Integrated <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Disease Surveillance Programme <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and DAHD\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Livestock Health and Disease Control scheme<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> \u2013 are currently not integrated with other sectors, resulting in uncoordinated, ad hoc initiatives.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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To reap all the advantages of a One Health approach, India should move beyond short-term collaborations and create an<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> integrated, science-based environment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Certain samples like<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> blood, tissue, faecal matter, and effluent water<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> are also expensive and come with <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ethical implications<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, and an<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> integrated system that deals with them can prove especially beneficial<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
In such a system, researchers from various disciplines should be able to use laboratories as necessary and generate the requisite inputs will go a long way to meeting major challenges with the One Health approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Daily Mains Question<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
[Q]<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Analyse the significance of the One Health Approach to meet major global health challenges. Suggest a transformation process for India to switch to a One Health approach.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
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India\u2019s One Health Mission Syllabus: GS2\/ Health, Government Policies & Interventions, Issues Arising out of their Design & Implementation In Context India is currently preparing for a \u2018National One Health Mission\u2019 which can help India respond better to health crises. About One Health Approach One Health is a holistic approach to problems that recognises the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[29],"class_list":["post-16764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-thehindu"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/09\/4190597images.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16764"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16764\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}