India: One Health approach to tackle emerging pandemics

In his address to the Rajya Sabha, Indian Union Health Minister JP Nadda stressed the importance of a cohesive approach encompassing human, animal, and environmental health to tackle zoonotic diseases such as the Nipah virus and SARS-CoV-2. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has observed the rise of numerous new zoonotic diseases. These diseases, which originate from non-human sources, have made the jump to human populations, underscoring the necessity for a comprehensive strategy for disease prevention and control. In response, the National One Health Mission (NOHM), founded in 2022, is dedicated to enhancing disease surveillance, research, and readiness for pandemics, with a supporting fund of 386.86 crore rupees. The NOHM relies on an integrated, technology-driven surveillance system for humans, animals, and wildlife, and operates a national network of Biosafety Level 3 laboratories (BSL-3) for the examination of high-risk pathogens associated with new and emerging diseases.