Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare organized National Multistakeholder Consultation on National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses on the occasion of[...]

Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare organised a National Multistakeholder Consultation on the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses: A Strategic Framework with One Health Approach in New Delhi today. The consultation brought together senior representatives from the human health, animal health, wildlife, environmental, academic and development sectors to deliberate on strengthening India's preparedness and response to zoonotic diseases.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, highlighted that zoonotic diseases continue to pose significant public health, animal health and economic challenges globally and in India. He emphasized that the Government is committed to have stronger multisectoral coordination, integrated surveillance systems through IHIP 2.0, enhanced laboratory networks, skilled workforce, digital innovations and evidence-based decision-making.

He stated that the proposed National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses will provide a comprehensive strategic framework to strengthen governance, surveillance, laboratory systems, preparedness and response, risk communication, research and innovation, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainable financing. The Action Plan will also support States and Union Territories in developing context-specific State Action Plans aligned with national priorities.

Speaking at the Occasion, Dr. Sujata Chaudhary, Additional Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, emphasized the need for sustained coordination among all relevant ministries and stakeholders to operationalise the One Health approach and strengthen India's preparedness against zoonotic diseases.

Prof. (Dr.) Ranjan Das, Director, National Centre for Disease Control, underscored the growing public health significance of zoonotic diseases and reiterated NCDC's commitment to strengthening integrated disease surveillance and fostering

During the inaugural session, the dignitaries jointly launched two key technical resources developed under the National One Health Programme for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses-the Learning Resource Package on 10 Priority Zoonotic Diseases and a comprehensive suite of E-Learning Modules. The Learning Resource Package covers ten priority zoonotic diseases, namely Anthrax, Brucellosis, Kyasanur Forest Disease, Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, Nipah, Mpox, Rabies, Leptospirosis, Scrub Typhus and Zika. These technical resources have been developed to strengthen the knowledge and competencies of healthcare professionals, veterinarians, public health officials and other frontline stakeholders engaged in zoonotic disease surveillance, prevention and control.

The consultation featured a series of thematic technical sessions during which experts reviewed the draft chapters of the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses. Extensive deliberations were held on critical thematic areas, including governance and institutional mechanisms, surveillance and early warning systems, laboratory strengthening, prevention and preparedness, outbreak response, research and innovation, risk communication, workforce development, financing, monitoring and evaluation, and implementation strategies.

The discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening integrated surveillance systems through expansion of sentinel surveillance sites, enhancing laboratory networks, promoting timely data sharing through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) 2.0, and building the capacities of frontline professionals across sectors. Participants also emphasized leveraging digital technologies and artificial intelligence to strengthen disease intelligence, facilitate early warning systems and improve outbreak prediction and response.

The recommendations emerging from the consultation will be consolidated and incorporated into the final National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses. The Action Plan will serve as the national strategic framework for coordinated multisectoral action and provide guidance to States and Union Territories in developing context-specific State Action Plans aligned with the principles of the One Health approach.

The consultation marks a significant milestone in advancing India's One Health agenda and reinforcing the country's commitment to strengthening preparedness against zoonotic diseases. By institutionalising sustained collaboration across the human health, animal health, wildlife and environmental sectors, the National Action Plan seeks to establish a resilient and coordinated framework for preventing, detecting and responding to zoonotic threats. The initiative is expected to strengthen national health security, improve preparedness for future public health emergencies and contribute meaningfully to global efforts towards preventing and controlling emerging infectious diseases.

Dr. Pragya Sharma, Executive Director, NHSRC, Dr. Sanjay Shukla, Member Secretary (Retd.) Central Zoo Authority, Dr. Naveen Gupta, Additional Directoa & Head, COH, Dr. Simmi Tiwari, Joint Director & OIC, COH, Dr. Amar Shah, senior Officials of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, NCDC, Ministry of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change, representative of Health & Animal Husbandry department of 5 State (Rajasthan, Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) were also present during the meeting.

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SR