Need to strengthen ‘One Health’ framework, says GADVASU Vice-Chancellor

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 28

The Covid-19 pandemic, foot and mouth disease among kids, lumpy skin disease (LSD) among animals has shaken all professionals and highlighted the need for a collaborative, multi-sectorial, and trans-disciplinary approach for addressing the emerging public health issues.

Experts feel it is time to strengthen the ‘One Health’ framework at regional, national, and international levels.

Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) has established “Centre for One Health” to initiate the multi-disciplinary frameworks at state, national and international levels through inter-sectorial approaches.

The Centre’s aim is to strengthen academic, research and extension education for the enhancement of evidence-based surveillance capacity and adequate communication for the prevention and control of public health related issues.

The Centre is working with medical professionals to tackle many endemic diseases in Punjab, including brucellosis, rabies, listeriosis, cysticercosis, hydatidosis and food-related contaminants.

The Centre has also initiated a one-year post-graduate diploma program in ‘One Health’ for capacity building among the professionals of various health sectors.

“It’s high time to strengthen the ‘One Health’ framework. ‘One Health’ is the result of the collaborative efforts of multiple health science professions, working locally, nationally and globally to attain optimal health for people, domestic animals, wildlife, plants and environment. ‘One Health’ recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and their shared environment. Efforts by just one sector cannot prevent or eliminate health problems, for example rabies in humans is effectively prevented only by targeting the animal source of the virus (by vaccinating dogs),” GADVASU Vice-Chancellor Dr Inderjeet Singh said.

Although the concept is not new, it has become more important in recent years because many factors have changed interactions between people, animals, plants and environment.

Increasing human population, increased movement by people, animals, and animal products from international travel and trade, climate change and intensive farming are some of the factors of greatest concern, the VC said.

To deal with the existing as well as other unforeseen public health challenges which cannot be dealt with effectively within limited professional silos, ‘One Health’ framework is the need of hour.

The incorporation of ‘One Health’ approach into public health policies is widely expected to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of disease control programmes.

ABOUT THE CONCEPT

'One Health' recognises that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent. It, therefore, aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

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