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Context:

The Union Animal Husbandry Minister has announced a $25M G20 Pandemic Fund.

About G20 Pandemic Fund

The Indian government has introduced a $25-million Pandemic Fund to protect animals from diseases that can spread to humans, such as COVID-19.

Starting with over $1.4 billion, the fund provides financial assistance through grants and low-interest loans to countries that need it.

This Fund will be used by August 2026 to:

• Enhance Disease Surveillance: Improving the systems that monitor and track diseases.
• Build Laboratory Infrastructure: Creating more advanced labs to detect and study diseases.
• Promote Cross-Border Cooperation: Working with other countries to share information and resources to stop disease spread.

Key Features of the G20 Pandemic Fund

The fund will be used to upgrade animal health laboratories and create a network of these labs across the country. Better labs mean quicker, more accurate detection of diseases in animals, which can help stop them from spreading to humans.

With the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the fund seeks to improve disease monitoring in animals. This includes tracking how diseases spread and using new technology, like genomic (DNA) testing, to understand the aspects of each disease better.

Diseases don’t respect borders, so this initiative will promote cooperation with other countries to monitor diseases that might travel into India. Sharing information with neighboring countries assists in quickly identifying and responding to potential dangers.

The Global Health Security Index recently rated India’s health security as low (42.8). Many diseases that infect humans—about 60%—come from animals, and 75% of emerging human pathogens are of animal origin. The Fund will work to make animal health a priority, lowering the chances of zoonotic diseases affecting people.

The Fund aims to boost training for animal health workers. By developing their skills and knowledge, India can create a stronger workforce prepared to identify and respond to animal health risks.

Upgrading systems to collect and analyze data on animal diseases. Better data allows scientists and officials to evaluate risks accurately and make smarter decisions about animal health, which in turn protects human health.

The fund aims to strengthen India’s ability to handle animal health risks at both national and regional levels to create a disaster management framework that can quickly respond to outbreaks affecting livestock.

About Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonotic diseases are infections that can move between animals and humans. These diseases are caused by a range of pathogens—viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi—and can have serious impacts on human health. Some well-known zoonotic diseases include:

• COVID-19: Caused by SARS-CoV-2, likely originated in bats and spread to humans.
• Bird Flu: Transmitted from infected birds, particularly through direct contact.
• Ebola: Related to fruit bats and spreads through connection with infected bodily fluids.

The Global Health Security Index (GHSI)

The Global Health Security Index measures how well countries are prepared for health emergencies (such as pandemics). It was launched in 2019 by several major organizations, including the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Johns Hopkins Centre for Health Security, this index scores countries on a scale from 0 to 100, where a higher score means better preparedness.

It looks at six key categories:

1. Prevention: Measures to stop pathogens from emerging and spreading.
2. Detection and Reporting: The ability to detect diseases early and report them quickly.
3. Rapid Response: How quickly countries can respond to health threats.
4. Health System Strength: The ability of healthcare systems to treat and protect people.
5. Compliance with International Norms: Following global health rules.
6. Risk Environment: The influence of social, political, and environmental factors on health security.

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Source: 

The Hindu