The Government of India is actively participating in the National One Health Mission (NOHM). The Mission was established on the recommendation of the 21st Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), with Cabinet approval in February 2024. The Mission is being steered by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and involves more than 16 Central Ministries/Departments including Ministry of Ayush. The Department of Health Research (DHR)/Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) serves as the implementing agency. Further details can be accessed on  https://www.psa.gov.in/oneHealthMission.

The Government has established collaborations with key stakeholders, including the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), State Health Departments, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and other relevant institutions, to implement initiatives under the National One Health Mission. Further details are available on  https://www.psa.gov.in/oneHealthMission.

As per inputs from ICMR, in addition to the activities under the National One Health Mission, the Government has taken several steps to address health challenges at the human–animal–ecological interface in the country, including:

1. Strengthening surveillance under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)/ Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) to monitor emerging zoonotic and vector-borne diseases.
2. Expanding Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) surveillance networks across human, animal, and environmental sectors.
3. Ministry of Ayush promotes rational, non-antibiotic treatment options where appropriate, indirectly supporting AMR reduction-a core One Health priority. Ayush research councils have undertaken research studies related to AMR, immunomodulation and vector-borne diseases.
4. Further, the Ayush Vertical, DGHS has released public-health advisories on Monkeypox and Heat Wave in collaboration with the NCDC for dissemination to States and UTs.
5. Conducting surveillance in wildlife corridors, sanctuaries, and ecologically sensitive zones to detect spillover of pathogens.
6. Training human health, veterinary, wildlife, and environmental officers in outbreak investigation, biosafety, diagnostics, and One Health approaches.
7. Accelerating research and development of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for high-risk zoonotic diseases. For example, vaccines for Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) and monoclonal antibodies for Nipah virus are currently under development.
8. Expanding BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories for advanced pathogen detection and outbreak response.
9. Implementing platforms like the IHIP, National Digital Livestock Mission, and Bharat Pashudhan app for real-time data collection, monitoring, and decision-making.
10. Enhancing community awareness on zoonotic risks and safe animal-handling practices.

This information was given by the Minister of State (IC) for Ayush Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

******

SR/GS/SG