NEW DELHI: Preparing to deal with infectious zoonotic diseases in future, the Ministry of Science and Technology has constituted a National Expert Group on One Health to identify priority areas for better understanding of mechanism of virulence, infections and their transmissions.
The ministry said approximately 75 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases originate from animals and that the worldwide analysis of emerging infections has a shaded belt across northern and eastern India among the areas where new diseases are most likely to occur. Several pandemics in this century have originated from animals including SARS, MERS, influenza H1N1 and influenza H7N9, the ministry said. To promote multi-sectoral, trans-disciplinary collaboration and cooperation approach to achieve One Health framework, the National Expert Group on One Health has been constituted under Prof G Padmanabhan, IISc-Bangalore.
The group, with a three-year tenure, will identify the priority areas of concerns with respect to diseases, emerging or re-emerging infections, bio-safety and bio-security challenges and policy environment that require immediate interventions.
“It will advance a future ‘One Health’ framework for India and the region-based on inclusive policy reform, scientific innovation and sustainable investment. The group will facilitate policy mechanisms and regulations to define the role of government and other stakeholders on responsibly regulating with ‘One Health’ related activities,” it said. They would share information among countries on existing and evolving disease burdens, challenges, research outcomes and outputs and promote exchange of resources.