National One Health Mission

National One Health Mission

Recently, the Union Health Minister chaired the first executive committee meeting of the National One Health Mission, which was approved by the Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) in 2022.

Key Objectives of the National One Health Mission:
The mission seeks to integrate efforts across multiple sectors to improve pandemic preparedness and disease control for both human and animal health. It aims to institutionalize the One Health approach, which recognizes the interlinkage between human, animal, and environmental health. This integrated framework is designed to enhance the country's capacity to manage and prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases. Key Areas of Focus:

1. Integrated Disease Surveillance: The mission will enhance the tracking and monitoring of diseases across human, animal, and environmental sectors.
2. Environmental Surveillance System: It will establish systems to monitor environmental factors that can contribute to disease transmission, including water, air, and soil quality.
3. Outbreak Investigation Mechanisms: The mission will strengthen the country’s ability to investigate and respond to disease outbreaks swiftly.
4. Research and Development (R&D): The mission will prioritize the development of crucial tools such as vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, and clinical care strategies. Targeted R&D will focus on creating effective solutions for both human and animal diseases.
5. Data Integration: Efforts will be made to streamline data and information sharing across sectors to facilitate a unified response.
6. Community Participation: The mission emphasizes engaging local communities in disease prevention and preparedness efforts, ensuring that the public plays an active role in health protection.

Key Takeaways
The National One Health Mission represents a major step in enhancing India’s preparedness for pandemics and priority diseases. By focusing on the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, the mission aims to create a more holistic, integrated system for disease prevention, surveillance, and response.

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