India marks One Health Day, calls for stronger surveillance against zoonotic diseases

Stray dogs, domestic animals, and wildlife are the focus as India observes One Health Day to strengthen disease surveillance and prevent zoonotic diseases from spreading between animals and humans. The government stated that the National One Health Mission coordinates multiple departments to improve early warnings and outbreak responses. The Indian Council of Medical Research implements the mission, while the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser provides scientific coordination and oversight. The government framework involves over 13 ministries and departments working on an integrated approach to disease prevention. The government framework reported that 22 laboratories are part of a network of high-containment facilities intended to support the investigation of outbreaks involving human, livestock, and wildlife populations. Infectious diseases affecting humans that originate in animals include rabies, Nipah virus infection, avian influenza, leptospirosis, and certain forms of viral haemorrhagic fever. Health experts stated that monitoring human populations alone may not be sufficient to identify emerging threats, and surveillance systems must also examine animal populations, wildlife habitats, food production chains, and environmental conditions. The initiative aims to establish stronger early-warning systems and improve access to disease-related information to support coordinated investigations when cross-species infections are identified.