India ahead of several countries in ensuring One Health Goals, says Dr VK Paul

New Delhi: “India is ahead of several countries in drafting the legal framework to support and strengthen the implementation of the One Health initiative. This represents India’s advanced thought process and leadership, and showcases our vision in this area. A national consultation with multi partners and stakeholders is not only important but very timely. COVID-19 has forced us to re-focus our attention on the importance of zoonotic diseases and the intricate linkages between the human, animal and plan eco-systems.” This was stated by Dr Vinod Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog as he recently inaugurated a two-day National Consultation on Legal Environment Assessment for “One Health” initiative.

Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Ms Leena Nandan, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and Shri Rajiv Mani, Secretary, Ministry of Law & Justice were also present.

Dr Vinod Paul stated that the issues of critical health challenges posed by zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food safety, and climate change are interconnected and require a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to breaking down the silos between human health, animal health, and environmental sectors. He added that India has taken the lead in ensuring One Health goals that resonate with the Prime Minister’s vision of “One Earth, One Health” and “we are pushing frontiers for not just our nation but for the world”. Dr Paul said that in lined with the need of alignment of various frameworks, India has taken up framing of National Action Plan (NAP), 2.0 for addressing the issues raised due to Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), had conceptualised the One Health Mission, and working on the broader issues of climate change. He further stressed that to ensure the achievement of One Health goals, state engagement, alignment of Indian laws with international laws, and cross-sectoral response are required.