Forum to discuss roles of industry in efficient implementation of One Health approach

New Delhi: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India will celebrate International One Health Day on November 3, 2021 by organizing a Stakeholder Forum on the theme ‘Industry and One Health’ as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

November 3, 2021 will mark the sixth International One Health Day highlighting the need for a One Health approach to address interrelated health threats at the human-animal-environment interface. The day seeks to highlight interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary engagements as well as multi-sectoral collaboration as aspects crucial to the implementation of the One Health concept.

The convergence of the microbial, human, animal, and wildlife worlds in nature provides everyday essentials for the survival of human beings. This interaction may also lead to painful and tragic consequences from pathogens. The impact of zoonotic diseases has been felt throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is therefore important to discuss, debate, and pinpoint areas that require intervention, such as policy framework, regulation, financial, human, social, natural, and physical capitals, global learnings and best practices, and other relevant issues.

Global health faces growing threat from emerging zoonoses which have led to massive economic damage over the past two decades. The Forum would bring together policy makers, industry, public health professionals, civil society members and all relevant stakeholders and provide a dynamic platform to understand the roles and responsibilities of the industry towards implementing the One Health approach. This would witness discussions around the impact on health if we ignore the One Health approach and help devise a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to fight future pandemics and maintain the One Health approach for a sustainable future.

The deliberations regarding the potential of industry through active involvement in implementation of One Health will beset forth with the opening remarks by Mr. Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, GoI and Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & DG, ICAR. Panelists on the forum include representatives from industry, Confederation of Indian Industry, World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, senior officials from Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India and other experts.

This International One Health Day, The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, through the forum, invites all stakeholders to adopt the One Health approach and partake in research and innovation to successfully implement the One Health framework.