Description

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Context:

The central government recently launched a project 'Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response' initiative to better monitor animal health for the prevention of future pandemics.

About Animal Health Security Project

The project aims to strengthen India’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to animal health threats, reducing zoonotic disease risks through enhanced surveillance, laboratory systems, and regional collaboration.

Objectives:

Prevention, Detection, and Response	Enhance India’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to animal health threats, reducing the risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission.
Strengthen Surveillance Systems	Improve and integrate animal disease surveillance and early warning systems for timely identification of potential threats.
Laboratory and Vaccine Infrastructure	Upgrade and expand laboratory networks and vaccine production facilities to enhance preparedness and response capabilities.
Data Systems and Analytics	Strengthen interoperable data systems and analytics to support evidence-based decision-making and effective risk communication.
Cross-Border Collaboration	Foster regional cooperation for controlling transboundary animal diseases through cross-border collaborations and partnerships.

Funding:

The project is funded by the Pandemic Fund established by the G20 countries, which aims to help low- and middle-income countries improve their pandemic preparedness. The fund’s first round raised $2 billion, and India’s project received a $25 million grant.

Implementing organization:

Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Need for the Projects:

Zoonotic Disease Threat

About two-thirds of infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic (transmitted from animals), including recent examples like COVID-19.

India has a large livestock population (536 million), increasing its vulnerability to zoonotic outbreaks.

Public Health Impact

Five out of the six major global public health emergencies in recent decades have been zoonotic in nature.

The project is crucial for pandemic prevention and enhancing India's public health security.

Vulnerable Population Protection

Focuses on addressing animal health threats to safeguard the health, nutritional security, and livelihoods of vulnerable populations dependent on livestock.

The grant will finance activities across the following key areas:

Key Area	Description	Implementing Entities
Establishing Passive Surveillance System	Set up surveillance for zoonotic, economically important diseases, and AMR in food animals across 12 states. Includes environmental surveillance on genomics and food safety.	ADB, World Bank
Upgrading Laboratory Infrastructure & Systems	Upgrade lab infrastructure, focusing on rural areas serving pastoralists/smallholders. Enhance diagnostic capacity and quality systems in university-affiliated labs.	DAHD, ADB, World Bank
	Develop lab information systems with data analytics platforms for disease surveillance.
Capacity Building for Veterinary Professionals	Update competency-based training modules and enhance training facilities. Conduct in-service training for veterinarians in 12 states over 5 years.	ADB, World Bank
Improving One Health Operationalization	Build institutional capacity of NOHSU as a center of excellence. Train interdisciplinary teams and conduct quality needs assessments for labs.	ADB, FAO, World Bank

Expected outcomes

The Project is expected to increase the efficiency of laboratory systems to detect pathogens of epidemic potential and to equip labs to handle high consequence biological agents; improve integrated surveillance systems capacity to provide accurate and timely data; strengthen veterinarian and paraprofessionals’ capacity to meet the competency requirement for a quadripartite One Health; and improve institutional capacity to support operationalization of the country’s One Health policy.

Read about one health concept: IASGYAN

Source:

INDIAN EXPRESS

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.In light of emerging zoonotic diseases and increasing global connectivity, critically analyze the current strengths and weaknesses of India's animal health management system. (250 words)