The Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, recently initiated the inaugural India Animal Health Summit 2022 in New Delhi. Organized by the Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) and the Agriculture Today Group, this is the first Animal health Summit in India. Highlighting the significance of animal health, which forms a core component of One Health, the summit acknowledges the intrinsic connection between human health, animal health, and our shared environment.
Understanding the Importance of Animal Health
Animal health holds great value in the intricate network of human health, environmental protection, and food safety. The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), formerly known as OIE, confirms that more than 50 wildlife diseases may have significant consequences for livestock and public health, as well as wildlife conservation. Being a member of the WOAH, India’s role in maintaining global animal health standards is crucial.
Animal health directly impacts socioeconomic aspects as 20% of global animal production losses are linked to animal diseases. Additionally, one in five people rely on animals for income and survival. Therefore, maintaining animal health is indispensable for sustaining livelihoods and ensuring food security.
Examining Diseases Related to Animals
Several diseases stem from animals, with some even having potential to affect humans. Some of these include Monkeypox, Lumpy skin disease, African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, Rabies, and Avian Influenza or bird flu. While most of these diseases represent threats to livestock and wildlife, some also hold implications for human health.
For instance, Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease prevalent in central and west Africa’s tropical rainforest areas. Though primarily seen amongst monkeys, it occasionally spreads to other regions. Similarly, Lumpy skin disease and African swine fever pose considerable threats to cattle and swine health, causing significant production and trade losses. The foot-and-mouth disease, widespread in India, impacts cloven-footed animals, whilst rabies is a fatal disease that primarily affects canines but has potential to spread to humans.
Governance Initatives for Animal Disease Control
The Indian government has undertaken several initiatives to contain and control animal diseases. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying implements a Centrally Sponsored Scheme called “Livestock Health & Disease Control” which aims to control and contain economically significant animal diseases by providing financial assistance to the states.
Another key initiative is the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) launched by the Prime Minister in September 2019. This scheme focuses on controlling Foot & Mouth Disease and Brucellosis by vaccinating all cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and pigs against FMD and all bovine female calves aged between 4-8 months against brucellosis. The main goal of the program is to control Foot & Mouth Disease by 2025 via vaccination and aim for its complete eradication by 2030.
Animal health is an integral part of human health and environmental sustainability. Therefore, efforts to improve animal health contribute significantly towards creating a safer, healthier, and more sustainably future.
