G-20: India to showcase new animal health initiatives at side event in Goa

India will showcase two new initiatives, including Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI), at a side event of the G-20 Health Working Group meeting to be held on April 20 in Goa under India's G20 Presidency.

The side event, to be organised by the Asian Development Bank and UN Environment Programme in collaboration with the Health Ministry, will have participation from the World Health Organisation and World Animal Health Organisation. 

Briefing media, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Secretary Rajendra Kumar Singh said that at the side-event, his department will showcase two initiatives -- the Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI) and the World Bank-funded Animal Health System Support for One Health (AHSSOH). 

APPI seeks to bring inter-ministerial coordination for 'One Health Mission'. It aims to track animal diseases through large-scale digital surveillance, bring synergies in advances in the human vaccine in animal vaccine development and institutionalise targeted early response animal health emergencies in sync with human health, he said.

APPI also aims to coordinate with critical partners to ensure successful and timely development of vaccine development. 

The Rs 1,228 crore AHSSOH project, with 50 per cent funding from the World Bank, will initially be implemented in five states -- Assam, Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. 

The secretary said AHSSOH aims to strengthen 75 district laboratories, provide 100 mobile veterinary units in remote locations and high-risk areas, and upgrade 300 dispensaries and hospitals besides training 5,500 veterinarians as well as 9,000 private diagnostic professionals.

Both APPI and AHSSOH, which will be formally launched on April 14, have been conceptualised to approach 'One Health', recognising animal health, human health and the environment are inextricably connected. 

Since two third of the infectious diseases affecting humans originate from animals, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea is to bring synergy among concerned ministries in addressing the health issues in a holistic manner, Singh said.