Introduction
The One Health Approach recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. In India—home to dense human populations, large livestock herds, rich wildlife habitats, and frequent zoonotic outbreaks—the need for integrated health governance has never been clearer. From COVID‑19 to Lumpy Skin Disease and Nipah virus, crises at the human-animal-environment interface expose gaps in siloed systems. India’s response: launching the National One Health Mission (NOHM), coordinating multiple ministries, and building a unified pandemic preparedness framework that combines surveillance, research, and community engagement.
Institutional Framework & Governance
The National One Health Mission was approved in 2022 by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council and launched with formal governance structures at the executive and scientific levels. The ICMR oversees implementation, supported by the newly approved National Institute of One Health in Nagpur.([turn0search0]turn0search6]turn0search1])
The governance architecture is two-tiered:
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Executive Committee chaired by the Health Minister with members from NITI Aayog, MoHFW, MoEFCC, AYUSH, DAHD, DST, and rotating state representation.
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Scientific Steering Committee chaired by the PSA, guiding cross-sector research, surveillance, and outbreak management planning.([turn0search0]turn0search6])
The collaboration spans over 13 central departments and integrates wildlife, veterinary, environmental, and health domains.
Key Components & Functional Pillars
➤ Integrated Disease Surveillance & Outbreak Response
The mission builds federated early warning systems through platforms such as the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP). These systems link clinical, syndromic data with animal and environmental signals to detect emerging zoonoses early.([turn0search8]turn0search21])
ICMR's existing network of 106 viral labs (VRDLs) and epidemiology units are being leveraged and expanded into a national BSL-3/4 lab network to support outbreak investigation and rapid diagnostics.([turn0search8]turn0search6])
➤ Research, R&D and Diagnostics
The mission emphasizes targeted R&D across sectors—developing vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics for priority zoonotic and antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) diseases. A flagship inter-ministerial study now tracks zoonotic spillover risks at bird sanctuaries in Sikkim, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.([turn0search1]turn0search6])
➤ Capacity Building & Community Engagement
Capacity programs train veterinarians, public health officials, field workers, and wildlife personnel. The mission also fosters public awareness, integrating local communities into surveillance and prevention—for example, in rabies control campaigns.([turn0search4]turn0search5]turn0search7])
➤ Cross-Sector Convergence
NOHM assures coordination among human health, animal husbandry, environment, agriculture and science ministries. It addresses criticism that prior efforts remained siloed—for example, veterinary stakeholders often excluded.([turn0search3]turn0search9])
Implementation & Emerging Practice Examples
✅ Zoonotic Surveillance in Bird Sanctuaries
A landmark multi-state ICMR initiative monitors bird-human ecosystem interfaces, deploying real-time surveillance at wetlands and sanctuaries. It samples avian populations and adjacent communities using advanced diagnostics like NGS for early pathogen detection.([turn0search1]turn0search2])
✅ Rabies Control via Mission Rabies
An NGO-backed program, Mission Rabies, implements large-scale dog vaccination, bite prevention education, and community outreach across multiple states. Over 4 million dogs and 8 million children have benefitted—a classic One Health model linking animal vaccination with human prevention.([turn0search23])
✅ National RHD Campaign with Digital Ecosystem
Uttar Pradesh’s RHD Roko project—though primarily human health—employs an integrated team of clinicians, community workers, early detection tools (AI-enabled stethoscopes), reflecting One Health’s tech-enabled, cross-disciplinary ethos.([turn0news13])
Challenges & Systemic Barriers
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Fragmented Governance & Institutional Silos
Despite NOHM efforts, field-level coordination remains weak. Agencies like NCDC, DAHD, MoEFCC operate in bureaucratic silos, limiting effective cross-sector response. Critiques note absence of unified protocols and turf-based resistance.([turn0search3]turn0search9]) -
Stakeholder Imbalances & Exclusion
Wildlife and veterinary sectors remain underrepresented in decision-making bodies—leading to gaps in surveillance of wildlife-origin diseases and ecological determinants.([turn0search9]) -
Policy Disconnects & Legal Gaps
One Health principles are not yet embedded into planning or development policies. The draft National Health Policy (2015) lacked intersectoral linkages, undermining systemic prevention design.([turn0search11]) -
Capacity Constraints & Variable State Readiness
State-level infrastructure and trained personnel vary drastically—some states lack diagnostic labs or trained field staff to manage integrated outbreaks across sectors.([turn0search9]turn0search7]) -
Absence of Common Language & Protocol Standards
There is no standard operating protocol or shared terminology across sectors; interoperability of data and joint response frameworks remains nascent.([turn0search3]turn0search9])
Recommendations & Forward Path for India’s One Health Agenda
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Legislate a One Health Act or Framework Policy
Establish a statutory basis for cross-sector governance, surveillance mandates, data sharing, and inter-ministerial coordination—rather than relying on executive orders. -
Institutionalize Cross-Sector Representation
Ensure wildlife, veterinary, environmental, human health, and research bodies are equally represented in steering committees and programme design. -
Develop Standardised Protocols & Shared Language
Create unified guidelines, terminologies, and performance frameworks for outbreak detection, data sharing, and multi-disciplinary response. -
Capacity Building & Workforce Upskilling
Scale training programmes across sectors—not just public health—integrating One Health into veterinary curricula, environmental agencies, and community health bodies. -
Expand Community Surveillance Models
Adopt participatory approaches—engaging local forest staff, livestock owners, and community volunteers in surveillance, early detection, and preventive awareness. -
Transparent Data Systems & Evaluations
Publish dashboards on surveillance outcomes, lab network coverage, zoonotic incident management, and program impact—openly accessible to researchers and civil society. -
Strengthen R&D Ecosystem & Tech Innovation
Support multidisciplinary research hubs, public-private models, digital platforms and AI-enabled surveillance tools under NIOH oversight.
Conclusion
India’s National One Health Mission represents a critical shift from reactive, sectoral disease management to a holistic, intersectoral governance model. Anchored by NIOH, ICMR, NCDC, and multiple central ministries, the mission aligns with global standards to address emerging zoonoses, AMR, and environmental health crises.
While early efforts—such as bird sanctuary surveillance and rabies control—offer models of success, systemic barriers remain: fragmented governance, policy gaps, limited resources, and weak shared protocols. Overcoming these will require legislative backing, formalized stakeholder inclusion, data interoperability, and stronger institutional synergy.
If India consolidates cross-ministry synergy, empowers community surveillance networks, and embeds One Health in national policy frameworks, it can not only manage current threats—but prevent future pandemics through integrated resilience, sustainable ecosystem health, and shared action across humans, animals, and the environment.