The Case for One Health — Why India Must Move Beyond Siloed Health Systems

Context

On World Health Day 2026 (April 7, theme: “Together for Health. Stand with Science”), The Hindu editorial makes the case for India to fully operationalise the “One Health” approach — an integrated framework that recognises the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. The editorial draws on lessons from COVID-19, the 2025 H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in Southeast Asia, and the 2025 WHO Pandemic Agreement to argue that India’s siloed health governance — where human health (Ministry of Health), animal health (Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying), and environmental health (MoEFCC) are administered separately — leaves critical surveillance gaps at the animal-human-environment interface.

The Editorial Argument

1. Why One Health Is Not a New Idea But an Urgent One

The editorial traces the “One Health” concept to veterinary scientists of the 19th century (Rudolf Virchow’s “zoonosis” framework, 1855) and notes that roughly 60% of all known human infectious diseases are zoonotic — originating in animals before jumping to humans. COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2, likely bat coronavirus), SARS, MERS, Ebola, Nipah, and H5N1 all originated at the animal-human-environment interface. The editorial argues that India — with its dense population, high livestock density, and shared wildlife-human habitat interfaces — is uniquely exposed.

2. The 2025 WHO Pandemic Agreement

The WHO Pandemic Agreement (adopted May 2025) mandates member states to:

• Establish integrated zoonotic disease surveillance linking animal and human health authorities
• Share pathogen samples and genomic sequences with WHO and other states
• Build PABS (Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing) systems
• Strengthen primary healthcare and One Health institutional capacity

India signed the Agreement and is required to develop an implementation plan.

3. India’s National One Health Mission — Potential and Gaps

India’s National One Health Mission (announced in Union Budget 2023-24) creates a framework for integrating:

• Human health surveillance (IDSP — Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme)
• Animal disease surveillance (NADCP — National Animal Disease Control Programme)
• Environmental pathogen monitoring (ENVIS network under MoEFCC)

The editorial endorses this Mission but notes:

• Veterinary infrastructure in India is severely underfunded — state governments treat it as a low-priority department
• Wildlife health monitoring is almost non-existent — the forest department and wildlife institute are not formally linked to disease surveillance
• One Health laboratories (proposed in 16 states) face budget constraints and skilled staffing shortages

4. Nipah as a Case Study for One Health Relevance

Kerala’s Nipah outbreaks (2018, 2023) demonstrate the value of rapid human-animal-environment integration:

• 2018: Fruit bats (Pteropus medius) identified as reservoir within weeks
• 2023: Contact tracing extended to bat roost sites; forestry and health departments coordinated
• Yet: no permanent One Health surveillance infrastructure was created; each outbreak required crisis-mode improvisation

Key Institutions and Frameworks

UPSC Relevance

GS Paper 2 — Health, International Organisations

• One Health approach — WHO, FAO, WOAH, UNEP quadripartite joint plan
• WHO Pandemic Agreement — PABS, pathogen sharing, equity debates
• India’s disease surveillance — IDSP, NADCP, state health departments

GS Paper 3 — Environment

• Zoonotic diseases as an environmental health issue
• Biodiversity loss and pandemic risk — deforestation, wildlife trade, spillover

Mains Angle

“India’s fragmented health governance — with separate ministries for human, animal, and environmental health — creates critical gaps in pandemic preparedness. Critically examine with reference to the One Health approach.” (GS2 + GS3)

Facts Corner