Bridging the Gap: One Health Approach to Combat Zoonotic Threats in India

Bridging the Gap: One Health Approach to Combat Zoonotic Threats in India

Pooja Tamboli, ARS Scientist, Sr. Scale (LPM), ICAR- Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi 284003 (U.P.) India.

Introduction

Zoonotic diseases—illnesses that pass between animals and humans—pose an ever-growing threat to global health, food security, and economies. India, with its dense population, close human-animal interactions, and biodiversity, stands at a critical juncture in addressing zoonoses such as rabies, brucellosis, Nipah, avian influenza, and more recently, COVID-19. While individual sectors have made strides in disease control, the siloed functioning of human health, animal health, and environmental agencies has created significant gaps in disease surveillance, early warning systems, and coordinated responses.

The One Health approach offers a transformative solution. By recognizing the interconnectedness of people, animals, plants, and their shared environment, it aims to foster multisectoral collaboration and integrated strategies to prevent and control zoonotic diseases. This article explores how adopting a robust One Health framework can bridge institutional gaps and build a resilient health system to combat zoonotic threats in India.

Understanding Zoonotic Threats in India

India is among the top hotspots for emerging zoonoses. Rapid urbanization, deforestation, encroachment into wildlife habitats, expansion of livestock farming, and unregulated wet markets have created an ideal setting for zoonotic spillovers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 60% of emerging infectious diseases globally are zoonotic in origin, and 75% of new pathogens identified in the last decade have originated in animals.

In India, zoonotic diseases exert a heavy toll:

• Rabiescauses an estimated 20,000 human deaths annually.
• Brucellosis, a neglected zoonosis, impacts both livestock productivity and human health.
• Nipah virus outbreaksin Kerala have raised alarm due to high mortality rates.
• Avian influenzaregularly disrupts poultry industries.
• COVID-19, though global in impact, reinforced the urgent need for integrated surveillance systems.

Despite frequent outbreaks, India’s disease monitoring mechanisms remain fragmented. Veterinary, medical, and environmental surveillance operate independently, often leading to delayed detection, inefficient response, and loss of lives and livelihoods.

The One Health Concept: An Overview

The One Health approach is a holistic strategy that promotes intersectoral collaboration to address health threats at the human-animal-environment interface. It involves cooperation between veterinarians, medical doctors, ecologists, environmental scientists, epidemiologists, policy makers, and other stakeholders.

Key principles of One Health include:

1. Integrated Surveillance: Real-time, coordinated monitoring of human, animal, and environmental health data.
2. Prevention at Source: Addressing risk factors such as poor animal husbandry, wildlife trade, and antimicrobial misuse.
3. Cross-sectoral Response: Joint outbreak investigation and control measures.
4. Capacity Building: Strengthening institutional infrastructure and training multidisciplinary professionals.
5. Research and Innovation: Promoting interdisciplinary studies on zoonotic pathways, diagnostics, and vaccines.

The One Health paradigm is not just a theoretical ideal but a necessity—especially for a country like India, where diverse ecologies, close animal-human contact, and socio-economic vulnerabilities converge.

Institutional Landscape in India: Progress and Gaps

India has made some notable efforts toward adopting a One Health strategy:

1. National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR)

India launched NAP-AMR in 2017, highlighting the One Health approach. It emphasized rational use of antimicrobials in humans and animals, surveillance, and research.

2. National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)

The NCDC has been pivotal in tracking zoonotic outbreaks, and its division of zoonotic diseases collaborates with animal health counterparts to some extent. The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) tracks notifiable diseases, although veterinary data integration is limited.

3. ICAR’s Research Efforts

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) and National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI), has developed diagnostic tools and vaccines for zoonoses like brucellosis and leptospirosis.

4. Kerala’s State-Level One Health Model

Kerala has emerged as a leader in localized One Health implementation. Its successful containment of Nipah and coordinated response to zoonotic threats offers a blueprint for other states.

However, gaps remain:

• Siloed Operations: Health, veterinary, and wildlife departments lack formalized coordination mechanisms.
• Insufficient Funding: Budget allocations for zoonoses control remain low.
• Lack of Legal Framework: No overarching policy mandates One Health collaboration across ministries.
• Limited Public Awareness: General public and even professionals often remain unaware of the zoonotic risks and One Health strategies.
• Weak Environmental Surveillance: Habitat destruction and ecological changes receive limited attention in health-related policy decisions.

Challenges in Implementing One Health in India

While the benefits of a One Health strategy are clear, implementation in India is hampered by several systemic and operational hurdles:

1. Administrative Fragmentation

Multiple ministries—Health and Family Welfare, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Environment and Forests, Rural Development—share responsibilities but often lack coordination.

2. Capacity Constraints

Veterinary infrastructure in rural areas is overstretched. Shortage of trained epidemiologists, field veterinarians, and zoonotic disease specialists weakens frontline defense.

3. Data Silos

Fragmented and non-interoperable data systems prevent seamless disease surveillance across sectors.

4. Inadequate Legal Mandates

Unlike public health emergencies, zoonotic disease surveillance lacks enforceable guidelines to ensure cross-sectoral cooperation.

5. Behavioral and Cultural Barriers

In many communities, cultural practices involving animal contact persist without understanding of disease risks. Without community engagement, interventions are less likely to succeed.

Strategic Pathways for Operationalizing One Health in India

To bridge existing gaps, India must adopt a multi-pronged strategy:

1. National One Health Policy

India needs a National One Health Framework, with legal mandates, inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms, and dedicated funding. The policy must delineate responsibilities and promote institutional convergence.

2. Integrated Surveillance and Early Warning Systems

Develop a One Health Surveillance Network integrating human, animal, and environmental health data. Use digital tools and AI for predictive analytics to detect outbreaks early.

3. One Health Institute or Secretariat

Establish a central coordinating body—either as an autonomous institute or a taskforce under NITI Aayog—to steer One Health implementation across the country.

4. Capacity Building and Workforce Development

Invest in interdisciplinary training programs for veterinarians, public health workers, ecologists, and policy makers. Expand veterinary services and create field epidemiology training programs for zoonoses.

5. Community Engagement and Public Awareness

Launch awareness campaigns to educate communities about safe animal handling, food hygiene, and disease prevention. Empower grassroots health workers to monitor and report zoonotic symptoms.

6. Strengthening Research and Innovation

Promote joint research initiatives between institutions like ICMR, ICAR, and CSIR. Focus on developing indigenous diagnostic kits, vaccines, and understanding transmission dynamics of zoonotic pathogens.

7. Ecological Conservation and Wildlife Monitoring

Environmental sustainability must be integral. Monitor wildlife health, regulate encroachment, and promote conservation to reduce the risk of spillover.

Role of International Collaboration

India can benefit from aligning with global initiatives like:

• Tripartite Collaboration (WHO, OIE, FAO)on One Health
• Global Virome Projectto identify unknown viruses in animal reservoirs
• World Bank and USAID-supported OH-Hub models
• One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP)launched by WHO

Collaborations offer technical guidance, financial resources, and learning from best practices. Regional platforms in South Asia could also strengthen collective preparedness against cross-border zoonoses.

Case Studies Illustrating One Health in Action

1. Nipah Virus in Kerala (2018 & 2021)

Kerala adopted a coordinated response involving the Health Department, Animal Husbandry, Forest Department, and local governance units. Rapid identification of bat-origin, patient isolation, and environmental control measures saved lives.

2. Brucellosis Control Program

ICAR and state veterinary departments collaborate to vaccinate cattle and buffalo against brucellosis. However, better integration with human health surveillance is still needed for early detection in people.

3. COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Though not initially framed under One Health, the pandemic underscored the consequences of ignoring animal-origin threats. India’s vaccination drive and diagnostic infrastructure mobilization can be adapted to zoonotic preparedness.

The Road Ahead: A Call to Action

The need for a systems-level transformation is urgent. Zoonotic threats are no longer isolated or rare. The risks they pose to India’s health systems, economy, food chains, and national security demand a strategic shift.

India’s demographic size, ecological diversity, and scientific prowess make it well-positioned to lead a global One Health movement. However, this will require:

• Political Will to prioritize intersectoral health.
• Financial Investment in infrastructure and innovation.
• Community Trust to implement preventive practices at the grassroots.
• Institutional Reform to replace silos with synergies.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic served as a wake-up call to the world. For India, it illuminated longstanding gaps in disease surveillance and intersectoral response. As zoonotic diseases rise in frequency and complexity, reactive approaches will no longer suffice.The One Health approach, when institutionalized, offers a powerful framework to break silos, integrate knowledge, and foster resilience. Bridging the human-animal-environmental gap is not just a health imperative—it is a development necessity. For India to ensure a safer, healthier future, One Health must evolve from policy rhetoric to on-ground reality.

Fig.1: One health Model

 

Fig.2: Intersectoral Collaboration