Date : 05/09/2023

Relevance: GS Paper 2- Social Justice - Health

Keywords: Health For All, Zoonotic disease, Antimicrobial Resistance, COVID 19

Context-

• Recently, a G20 workshop on One Health-Opportunities & Challenges was organized in Bengaluru.
• India is currently in the process of launching a 'National One Health Mission,' which holds the potential to enhance India's ability to respond effectively to health crises.

One Health Approach:

The One Health approach is a comprehensive strategy that acknowledges the intricate connections among the health of humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment. This concept can be traced back to the ancient writings of Hippocrates (460-367 BC), who contemplated the links between public health and a clean environment.

Significance of One Health Approach:

• Link with Zoonoses: The expansion of the human population, urbanization, and industrialization has exacerbated damage to biodiversity and ecosystems. These environmental changes are closely linked to zoonotic diseases, which are infections transmitted between animals and humans. Approximately 60% of emerging diseases that can affect humans are zoonotic, including examples like bird flu, Ebola, rabies, and Japanese encephalitis.
• Antimicrobial Resistance: Humanity faces significant challenges related to antimicrobial resistance, food safety and security, and the control of vector-borne diseases. These interconnected issues require an integrated approach, which One Health provides.
• Environmental Disruptions: Disruptions in environmental conditions and habitats can create new pathways for diseases to be transmitted between animals and potentially spill over to humans.
• International Travel & Trade: The global movement of people, animals, and animal products through international travel and trade has escalated. This heightened connectivity means that diseases can spread rapidly across borders and even globally.
• Viruses in Wildlife: Scientists have identified over 1.7 million viruses circulating in wildlife, with many having the potential to infect humans. This highlights the importance of timely detection and proactive measures to prevent the emergence of pandemics in India and worldwide
• Minimizing Resource Requirements: One Health minimizes the resource burden by promoting coordination across various governmental units, including Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Environment, and Science and Technology. Researchers can share laboratories and findings, leading to resilient, sustainable, and predictable policies.
• Economic Benefits: The economic advantages of the One Health approach become evident when compared to the costs of managing a pandemic using a non-One Health strategy. An assessment by the G20 Joint Finance and Health Taskforce estimated the latter's cost to be approximately $30 billion annually. In contrast, estimates from the World Bank suggest that the former would cost between $10.3 billion to $11.5 billion per year.

Challenges to Implement One Health

• The imminent challenge lies in the scientific findings that reveal the existence of over 1.7 million viruses in wildlife, with a high likelihood that many of these are zoonotic in nature. Without timely detection and proactive measures, India faces the looming threat of encountering more pandemics in the future.
• To realize the goals set forth by the 'One Health' vision, ongoing efforts are directed towards overcoming specific challenges, including shortages in veterinary manpower, insufficient information exchange between human and animal health institutions, and the need for improved coordination in ensuring food safety at various stages such as slaughter, distribution, and retail facilities.

India's One Health Initiatives:

India has taken several significant One Health initiatives, especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the critical need for this approach:

• COVID-19 Initiatives: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of One Health. In the wake of COVID-19, numerous global interventions based on the One Health model have been launched.
• Standing Committee on Zoonoses: In 2006, the Indian government established the 'Standing Committee on Zoonoses' under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). This committee was tasked with providing guidance and recommendations to both Union and State governments on challenges related to zoonotic diseases. The pandemic further accelerated efforts in this direction.
• Consortium on One Health: In 2021, the Department of Biotechnology initiated India's first Consortium on One Health. This consortium involves 27 organizations from various ministries and aims to assess the burden of five transboundary animal diseases and 10 selected zoonotic diseases.
• One Health Pilot Project: In 2022, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy (DAHD), in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Confederation of Indian Industry, launched a One Health pilot project in Karnataka and Uttarakhand. This project's goal is to enhance intersectoral collaboration through capacity-building to improve the health of livestock, humans, wildlife, and the environment.
• National One Health Mission: India is currently in the process of preparing for a comprehensive 'National One Health Mission,' to be led by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor. The mission aims to coordinate, support, and integrate all existing One Health initiatives across the country.

To transition to a One Health approach effectively, several key steps can be taken:

• Communication: Establish fundamental communication mechanisms among different ministries and sectors. The primary objective is to ensure that key stakeholders are well-informed and engaged throughout the One Health transformation. Regular meetings and progress reviews should be facilitated.
• Collaboration: Once communication channels are established, sectors should actively share their knowledge and expertise to translate ideas into short-term interventions. It is essential to define and clarify the roles and responsibilities of each sector in managing zoonoses. Collaboration entails activities such as risk assessment, surveillance, capacity building, research, and public outreach.
• Coordination: In this stage, activities often become routine and long-term. National or subnational agencies should take the lead in spearheading initiatives to achieve One Health. These agencies should possess the authority and resources necessary to coordinate multiple ministries effectively. An example of this stage is India's upcoming 'National One Health Mission.'
• Integration: Implement a policy framework that enables relevant sectors to efficiently share resources and integrate their existing programs. Currently, in India, programs like the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy's Livestock Health and Disease Control scheme operate independently. This lack of integration results in uncoordinated and ad hoc initiatives.

Conclusion

Transitioning to a One Health approach involves establishing clear communication, fostering collaboration, coordinating efforts through appropriate agencies, and integrating existing programs across sectors to achieve a holistic and effective response to health challenges.

To fully harness the benefits of a One Health approach, India should go beyond temporary collaborations and establish a comprehensive, science-driven framework. This framework should address challenges related to costly and ethically sensitive samples, including blood, tissue, fecal matter, and effluent water.

Within this integrated system, researchers from diverse fields should have seamless access to laboratories and the necessary resources. This approach will significantly contribute to tackling the major challenges associated with the One Health approach.

Source - PIB, AIR, The Hindu