Health
This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the One Health approach as a strategic imperative for India’s biosecurity. It examines ongoing institutional developments, the socio-economic burden of zoonotic diseases, and actionable steps to close the gap between environmental sustainability and public health governance.
One Health Approach: Connecting Human, Animal, and Environmental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a stark reminder that nearly 60% of newly emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin, highlighting the deep and complex interdependence between human, animal, and environmental health systems. In response, the One Health approach has gained significant global momentum, reflected in initiatives such as the WHO Pandemic Agreement 2025 and India’s National One Health Mission. As challenges like climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and ecological disruption intensify, fragmented and sector-specific responses are proving increasingly ineffective. In this context, One Health is emerging as a collaborative, data-driven framework that is essential for strengthening pandemic preparedness and ensuring sustainable public health governance.
What is the One Health Approach?
The One Health approach is a unified and integrated framework designed to achieve optimal health outcomes by recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, and ecosystems. It emphasizes that sustainable health security can only be achieved through coordinated efforts across these three domains.
Core Pillars of One Health:
- Human Health: Focuses on safeguarding population health by preventing disease outbreaks and strengthening healthcare systems.
- Animal Health: Involves protecting livestock, wildlife, and domestic animals, ensuring both disease control and sustainable agricultural practices.
- Environmental Health: Aims to preserve ecological balance, clean water resources, and climate stability, which form the foundation of life for all species.
Why India Needs to Adopt the One Health Approach
Addressing Zoonotic Spillover Risks:
India’s dense population and expanding human-wildlife interface make it highly vulnerable to zoonotic spillovers. Around 60–75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, yet surveillance systems often operate in silos, limiting early detection. According to the International Livestock Research Institute, 13 zoonotic diseases contribute to nearly 2.4 billion human illness cases and 2.2 million deaths annually in India. Recent outbreaks such as Nipah virus infection in Kerala and Kyasanur Forest Disease highlight these risks.
Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR):
The growing crisis of Antimicrobial Resistance in India is driven by the widespread and interconnected use of antibiotics in humans, livestock, and aquaculture. This has led to the rise of drug-resistant “superbugs” in the environment. India’s NAP-AMR 2.0 (2025–2029) underscores the increasing contribution of multidrug-resistant pathogens to hospital mortality, with studies detecting resistant bacteria in river effluents.
Protecting the Livestock Economy:
India possesses the world’s largest livestock population, exceeding 535 million animals as per the 2025 livestock census. While the sector has grown at a CAGR of 12.77% (2014–2024), it remains highly vulnerable to transboundary diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease and Lumpy Skin Disease. Outbreaks such as Avian Influenza have already caused major economic losses.
Climate-Driven Disease Shifts:
Climate change is altering the distribution of vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks, pushing diseases into new geographies. Reports like the State of India’s Environment 2026 indicate a rise in extreme weather events, contributing to increased cases of Dengue and Malaria in previously low-risk areas.
Biodiversity Loss and Disease Emergence:
Healthy ecosystems act as natural barriers against disease transmission. However, deforestation and rapid land-use changes are increasing human-wildlife contact, accelerating the emergence of infectious diseases.
Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness:
The One Health framework enables early detection through integrated data systems connecting institutions like Indian Council of Medical Research and Indian Veterinary Research Institute. This allows for early identification of potential threats before they escalate into large-scale outbreaks.
Ensuring Food and Nutritional Security:
Food contamination due to pesticides or zoonotic pathogens imposes an economic burden of nearly $15 billion annually in India. Initiatives like Poshan Abhiyaan benefit from a One Health approach that ensures safety across the “farm-to-fork” chain.
Key Steps Taken by India
India has made notable progress in operationalizing the One Health approach:
- National One Health Mission (NOHM): Approved in 2024, it integrates multiple ministries under a unified biosecurity framework led by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser.
- Research Infrastructure: The National Institute for One Health in Nagpur serves as a hub for integrated disease surveillance and genomic research.
- Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI): Supported by World Bank funding, this initiative strengthens livestock health systems across 151 districts.
- Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP): Active since 2004, it monitors over 33 diseases across all states and union territories.
- NAP-AMR 2.0: A multi-sectoral plan to combat antimicrobial resistance through stricter regulation and surveillance.
Way Forward: Strengthening One Health in India
To fully operationalize One Health, India must focus on:
- Decentralized Governance: Empowering local bodies like Gram Panchayats for early detection and response.
- AI-Driven Surveillance: Leveraging artificial intelligence and metagenomics for predictive disease modeling.
- Legislative Backing: Enacting laws to mandate inter-ministerial coordination.
- Sustainable Agriculture: Promoting natural farming to reduce chemical and antibiotic use.
- Ecosystem Conservation: Protecting wetlands and forests as natural disease buffers.
- Dedicated Budgeting: Ensuring long-term financial support through One Health-specific allocations.
- Digital Regulation: Combating misinformation during outbreaks through stronger oversight of online platforms.
Conclusion
The One Health approach marks a decisive shift from reactive crisis management to proactive, ecosystem-based biosecurity. By integrating human, animal, and environmental health into a unified governance model, India can effectively address zoonotic threats and antimicrobial resistance. Ultimately, adopting this approach is not just a policy choice but a strategic necessity for achieving a resilient and developed India by 2047.
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