Context
The ‘National One Health Mission’ was established to acknowledge the importance of a coordinated approach in effectively responding to disease outbreaks.
Details
- The concept of ‘One Health‘ is a holistic approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and environmental health.
- It emphasises collaboration across various sectors, including medicine, veterinary science, ecology, and public health, to address health challenges comprehensively.
- This approach has gained significant momentum in recent years, particularly in light of global health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Understanding One Health
- One Health is one of the older ideas that acquired a lot of significance in the world in recent years due to the problem of emerging interspecies and transboundary challenges.
- The strategy sees humans, animals, and ecosystems as inseparably bounded in their health as an interrelated single system. This impacts not only one but also on the others.
Need for a Holistic Approach
- The development of zoonotic disease, where an infection can travel from an animal to a human, has shed light on the necessity of a broad approach to health.
- The 2019 pandemic (COVID-19), as to its origin, the wildlife market might be the source of it, provides a notice of how closely human health is linked to animal’s health and the environment.
One Health in Action
- The United Nations World Health Organization has become a major player in its call to action for One Health implementation.
- WHO departments situated worldwide have been doing continuous work on One Health activities for long.
- The One Health Initiative (OHI) was started in 2021 in order to help the harmonisation of studies and the adoption of a single One Health position.
National One Health Mission
- In India, the ‘National One Health Mission’ is the result of recognition that only a coordinated approach will ensure a better response to disease outbreaks.
- Endorsed by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), the mission involves 13 Ministries and Departments, including the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology, and the Ministries of Health, Animal Husbandry, and Environment.
- Goals of the National One Health Mission: The goals of the National One Health Mission are to develop strategies for integrated disease surveillance, joint outbreak response, coordinated research and development (R&D), and ensure seamless information sharing for better control of routine diseases as well as those of a pandemic nature.
Global Coordination and Partnerships
- The One Health approach promotes global, regional, and national coordination.
- WHO’s role involves supporting Member States in developing and implementing national strategies and action plans, strengthening capacity and competence, promoting training and awareness, fostering partnerships, and monitoring and evaluating progress and the impact of One Health.
Conclusion
The advent of a holistic approach to One Health is a significant development in the field of global health. It represents a shift from a siloed approach to health to one that is integrated and comprehensive. By recognizing the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health, the One Health approach aims to achieve better health outcomes for all. It is a journey that requires the collaboration of multiple disciplines and sectors, and it holds the promise of a healthier, more sustainable future for our planet.
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q.Discuss the significance of the National One Health Mission in India’s public health strategy. How does the integration of efforts across human, animal, and environmental health sectors contribute to addressing complex health challenges? Evaluate the mission’s effectiveness in promoting collaborative interdisciplinary approaches and sustainable health outcomes. [250 Words]
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