India Opens National One Health Mission Assembly 2025 to Boost Pandemic Prep

In his message, Shri Nadda emphasized that the theme of the Assembly reflects India’s deepening commitment to a holistic, integrated approach to health.

The National One Health Mission Assembly 2025 commenced at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Hall, bringing together policy leaders, scientists, health experts and representatives from multiple ministries. The two-day conclave, themed “Translating Knowledge to Practice – One Earth, One Health, One Future”, marks a major step in integrating human, animal, plant and environmental health into a unified national strategy.

The Assembly was inaugurated through a video address by Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chairperson of the Executive Steering Committee on One Health. Also present were Dr V. K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog; Dr Ajay K. Sood, Chairperson of the Scientific Steering Committee on One Health and Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India; and Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, ICMR.

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Minister Nadda’s Inaugural Address: One Health as a National Priority

A Holistic Approach to Health Security

In his message, Shri Nadda emphasized that the theme of the Assembly reflects India’s deepening commitment to a holistic, integrated approach to health. He stated that “One Earth, One Health, One Future” is not just a theme but a philosophy driving India’s preparedness for future pandemics, zoonotic outbreaks and climate-linked health challenges.

India’s Leadership in Health Research and Vaccine Innovation

Highlighting a decade of progress, he noted that India has become a global force in biomedicine, pharmaceuticals and vaccine innovation. Some key achievements include:

• Development of indigenous COVID-19 vaccines: Covaxin, Covishield, Corbevax, and the world’s first intranasal vaccine.

• Supplying vaccines to over 100 countries, reinforcing India’s role as a reliable global health partner.

• Advances in next-generation platforms such as mRNA, DNA, viral vector technologies and biosimilars.

These breakthroughs have positioned India as a leader in rapid-response vaccine capabilities during health emergencies.

Diagnostic Revolution and Digital Health Strength

Shri Nadda praised India’s innovations in diagnostics, noting that the country has become a global hub for low-cost, high-quality diagnostic solutions. He highlighted:

• TrueNat, a portable real-time PCR platform

• PathoDetect, a highly sensitive molecular diagnostic kit

• CRISPR-based tests enabling rapid pathogen detection

He also referenced INSACOG, India’s genomic surveillance consortium, and the success of CoWIN, which demonstrated India’s capacity to deploy scalable digital health infrastructure.

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National One Health Mission: A Whole-of-Government Effort

Shri Nadda described the National One Health Mission (NOHM) as one of India’s most ambitious and integrated health-security initiatives. The Mission unites 16 Central and State ministries and departments, bridging domains such as:

• Human and animal health

• Agriculture and environment

• Pharmaceuticals

• Defence

• Space and earth sciences

• Disaster management

He emphasized that for the first time, India is establishing a unified framework to protect the health of humans, animals, plants and ecosystems.

Early Activities Under the Mission

The Mission has already begun executing major programmes, including:

• Integrated surveillance across slaughterhouses, bird sanctuaries, zoos and wastewater networks

• Monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and emerging pathogens

• Joint outbreak investigations to enable coordinated responses

• Development of medical countermeasures

One of the Mission’s most significant achievements is the creation of a national network of 23 BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories, enabling early detection and rapid response to high-risk pathogens.

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Release of the BSL-3 Laboratory Network SOP Compendium

On this occasion, a new SOP Compendium was released to harmonize operational standards across high-containment laboratories. The compendium will support consistent practices in biosafety, data sharing and outbreak response.

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Dr V. K. Paul: Call for a Jan Andolan for One Health

Dr V. K. Paul emphasized that the Assembly marks the beginning of a nationwide movement toward integrated health. He noted:

• The world is confronting zoonotic diseases, climate-sensitive illnesses and unpredictable biological threats.

• India must adopt a unified, technology-enabled ecosystem that brings ministries, institutes and academia onto a single platform.

• Surveillance must focus on human–animal interface hotspots.

• Outbreak response systems must become swift, synchronized and scalable.

Dr Paul also called for cultivating a new generation of One Health specialists, integrating the concept into education and professional training. He stressed that state governments will be the key implementing partners for the success of the Mission.

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Dr Ajay K. Sood: India’s Integrated Framework Takes Shape

Speaking at the event, Dr Ajay K. Sood noted that India has made significant progress in unifying sectors that were historically seen as separate—human, animal, plant and environmental health. The National One Health Mission is the culmination of years of coordination, bringing together 16 key stakeholders along with States and UTs under one platform.

He observed that the Mission’s agenda reflects both ambition and preparedness, placing India at the forefront of global One Health innovation. The integration will strengthen:

• Cross-sectoral collaboration

• Evidence-based interventions

• Ecosystem protection

• Public health capacity building

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Participation from Key Institutions and Global Partners

The Assembly witnessed participation from senior officials, scientists and global partner agencies, including:

• Smt. Anu Nagar, Joint Secretary, Department of Health Research

• Dr Nivedita Gupta, Head of Communicable Diseases, ICMR

• Representatives from international organizations, research institutions and industry partners

Their involvement is expected to further boost collaborative frameworks and knowledge-sharing mechanisms.

The National One Health Mission Assembly 2025 is set to play a pivotal role in shaping India’s health security landscape. By consolidating the expertise of ministries, research institutions, industry and civil society, India is building a resilient, integrated system capable of responding to emerging global health threats.

As India strengthens its laboratory networks, surveillance systems, diagnostic capacity and vaccine development ecosystem, the Mission stands as a testament to the country’s commitment to a safer, healthier and future-ready nation.