New Delhi, Jan 11 (NationPress) There is a pressing necessity to strengthen veterinary infrastructure to effectively tackle future pandemics, which encompasses the enhancement of diagnostic facilities to facilitate early detection and swift response to emerging diseases, stated Dr. Vinod K. Paul, Member-Health of NITI Aayog.
Dr. Paul further emphasized the significance of creating advanced platforms for the development and production of next-generation animal vaccines, which are essential for preventing the spillover of zoonotic diseases and for protecting both animal and human health.
While addressing an event in Hyderabad, organized by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in collaboration with Indian Immunologicals Limited and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), he highlighted that fortifying these critical components is in line with the broader objective of establishing a resilient healthcare system under the 'One Health' paradigm.
Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, pointed out that the government must allocate more resources for animal health to enhance productivity and also improve supply chain and cold chain systems to ensure effective last-mile delivery.
Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, stressed the importance of ensuring vaccine security and pre-qualifications for animal vaccines.
India is recognized as a global vaccine hub, with over 60 percent of vaccines produced domestically and more than 50 percent of vaccine manufacturers based in Hyderabad.
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying is executing the world’s largest vaccination initiative for livestock, with 100 percent financial support from the Central government for vaccinations against Foot and Mouth Disease (102 crore vaccinations completed) (endorsed by WOAH), Brucellosis (4.23 crore vaccinations completed), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) (17.3 crore vaccinations completed), Classical Swine Fever (0.59 crore vaccinations completed), and shared efforts for Lumpy Skin Disease (26.38 crore vaccinations completed).
The event also aimed to enhance understanding of various elements of 'One Health', focusing on improving vaccination programs, enhancing livestock health, establishing resilient supply chains for pandemic readiness, fortifying pandemic responses, advancing disease surveillance, and streamlining vaccine testing, along with promoting artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, cell and gene therapy vaccines, and establishing regulatory pathways for approval.
