PSA Reviews One Health Preparedness Amid Rising Zoonotic and Climate-Linked Health Threats

The One Health approach recognises the close interconnection between human health, animal health, and environmental health and promotes integrated policy and scientific responses.

The Fifth Meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee on One Health was held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay K. Sood, with senior officials and scientific leaders reviewing national preparedness strategies against emerging public health threats, zoonotic diseases, and climate-sensitive health challenges.

The high-level meeting took place on 18 May 2026 at Kartavya Bhavan 3 and brought together representatives from multiple ministries, scientific institutions, research bodies, and national security agencies to strengthen India's integrated "One Health" framework.

The discussions focused on enhancing coordination between human health, animal health, environmental systems, and scientific institutions to better detect, prevent, and respond to future disease outbreaks and health emergencies.

Senior Officials and Scientific Institutions Participate

The meeting witnessed participation from several senior government officials and scientific experts, including:

• Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research (DHR) and Director General of ICMR

• Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser

• Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences

• Dr. Ranjan Das, Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)

Representatives also attended from:

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)

• Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD)

• Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

• Department of Science & Technology (DST)

• Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

• National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS)

• Ministry of Ayush

• National Institute for One Health (NIOH)

• Department of Pharmaceuticals

• Gujarat state government

The broad participation reflected the multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral nature of the One Health initiative.

One Health Approach Gains Importance Amid Global Health Risks

Opening the meeting, Prof. Ajay K. Sood appreciated the continued cooperation among ministries and departments and stressed the growing importance of coordinated national action in response to emerging disease outbreaks and public health risks.

He emphasised that stronger inter-sectoral coordination has become increasingly important due to:

• Emerging zoonotic diseases

• Climate-linked health threats

• Global disease outbreaks

• Environmental disruptions

• Cross-border health risks

The One Health approach recognises the close interconnection between human health, animal health, and environmental health and promotes integrated policy and scientific responses.

National One Health Mission Achieves Major Milestones

Officials informed the committee that the National One Health Mission has made significant progress over the past year in building institutional and surveillance capacity.

Among the major achievements highlighted were:

Model Governance Framework

Development of a Model Governance Framework designed to strengthen One Health governance systems across states and union territories.

Genomics and Metagenomics Surveillance

Initiation of genomics and metagenomics-based surveillance networks to improve early detection of emerging pathogens and disease threats.

Human-Animal-Environment Surveillance

Launch of surveillance initiatives at the human-animal-environment interface, including monitoring in:

• Zoos

• Bird sanctuaries

• Slaughterhouses

Public Awareness and Youth Engagement

Promotion of public participation and youth engagement through initiatives such as the National One Health Assembly.

Officials said these initiatives are intended to create a stronger national ecosystem for disease surveillance, preparedness, and coordinated response.

Governance Framework Video Released

During the meeting, the committee released a video explaining the Model Governance Framework for strengthening One Health systems in states and union territories.

The framework outlines pathways for:

• Institutional coordination

• Decentralised implementation

• State-level integration

• Cross-sectoral collaboration

Officials said the framework is expected to support more effective local implementation of One Health policies and preparedness systems across India.

Proceedings of National One Health Assembly Released

The committee also formally released the proceedings of:

• The National One Health Assembly held in November 2025

• The Workshop on Operational Frameworks for One Health: National Vision and State Action held in Nagpur on 17–18 March 2026

The Nagpur workshop brought together state governments, union territories, and stakeholders to discuss governance mechanisms and operational strategies for implementing One Health systems at the state level.

The release of these proceedings is expected to support knowledge sharing and policy coordination across institutions and regions.

Focus on Integrated Surveillance and AI-Based Detection

A major focus of the discussions was strengthening India's surveillance and preparedness infrastructure against future health emergencies.

The committee discussed several short-, medium-, and long-term priorities, including:

• Integrated disease surveillance systems

• Strengthening laboratory networks

• Cross-sectoral data sharing

• Development of medical countermeasures

• AI-enabled pathogen detection systems

Officials emphasised that artificial intelligence and advanced analytics could play a major role in identifying emerging disease patterns, detecting pathogens early, and improving outbreak prediction capabilities.

Updates Presented on Key Technical Workstreams

The meeting also reviewed progress made under several specialised One Health workstreams operating through advisory and review committees.

Key updates included:

BSL-3 and BSL-4 Laboratories

Chaired by Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. Madhuri Kanitkar, focusing on strengthening high-containment laboratory infrastructure for handling dangerous pathogens.

Technology-Enhanced Surveillance

Chaired by Dr. N.K. Arora, focusing on advanced surveillance systems and digital disease monitoring tools.

Data Integration and Sharing

Led by Dr. Vijay Chandru, focusing on integrated cross-sectoral health data systems and information sharing frameworks.

Medical Countermeasures

Chaired by Dr. Renu Swarup and presented by Dr. Nivedita Gupta of ICMR, focusing on vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, and emergency preparedness tools.

The updates reflected ongoing efforts to create an integrated and technologically advanced national health security system.

Need for Ground-Level Preparedness Emphasised

In his concluding remarks, Prof. Ajay K. Sood stressed that policy frameworks must now be translated into measurable action on the ground.

He highlighted the need for:

• Regular mock drills

• Stronger preparedness systems

• Timely funding support

• Institutional coordination

• Continuous monitoring and implementation

The PSA also encouraged all stakeholder ministries and departments to actively document and highlight their contributions under the National One Health Mission.

He urged institutions to continue working collaboratively to advance India's preparedness against future pandemics and emerging health threats.

One Health Becoming Central to India's Public Health Strategy

The One Health framework has gained increasing importance globally after the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the interconnected nature of human, animal, and environmental health systems.

India's National One Health Mission aims to build a coordinated and resilient national system capable of:

• Detecting emerging disease threats early

• Improving pandemic preparedness

• Strengthening surveillance networks

• Enhancing scientific coordination

• Supporting rapid response mechanisms

Officials believe the initiative will play a crucial role in protecting public health, improving biosecurity, and strengthening India's long-term health resilience.