Open AccessAdopting an intersectoral One Health approach in India: Time for One Health Committees
Author(s) -
Rajib Dasgupta,
Fiona M. Tomley,
Robyn Alders,
S. B. Barbuddhe,
Anita Kotwani
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
indian journal of medical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.578
H-Index - 87
ISSN - 0971-5916
DOI - 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_537_21
Subject(s) - scope (computer science) , constitution , multidisciplinary approach , transdisciplinarity , pandemic , political science , state (computer science) , public relations , covid-19 , sociology , medicine , disease , social science , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law , pathology , algorithm , computer science , programming language
Following the several episodes of zoonotic disease outbreaks and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian policy initiatives are committed to institutionalize One Health (OH) approaches and promote intersectoral, transdisciplinary collaboration and cooperation. The OH principle needs to be visualized beyond the scope of zoonoses. While conservation, ecological and veterinary professions are getting increasingly engaged with OH, most of the medical/clinical and social sciences professions are only peripherally aware of its nuances. The OH initiatives, by their essentially multidisciplinary nature, entail working across ministries and navigating tacit institutional hierarchies and allocating leadership roles. The logical operational step will be the constitution of One Health Committees (OHC) at the State and district levels. Here, we outline the key foundational principles of OHC and hope that the framework for implementation shall be deliberated through wider consultations and piloted and adopted in a phased manner.