The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has unveiled the National One Health Mission (NOHM) to strengthen India’s preparedness against future pandemics. Recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, the mission aims to foster collaboration among various sectors for a comprehensive approach to public health emergencies. This press release was issued on July 26, 2024.
Key Components of NOHM
Enhanced Surveillance
The mission will establish a robust surveillance network to monitor disease outbreaks across different species. A network of BSL-3 laboratories will be expanded to enable advanced testing and research capabilities.
Research and Development
The government will invest in research to develop vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for emerging diseases.
Data Integration
A centralized platform will be created to integrate health data from various sources for effective analysis and decision-making.
Capacity Building
Training and capacity building programs will be implemented to strengthen the workforce in public health and disease surveillance.
Government Initiatives:
The government has already taken several steps to implement the NOHM, including:
- Establishing a national network of BSL-3 laboratories.
- Creating a joint outbreak response team.
- Launching a national epidemiology training program.
- Strengthening the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).
- Establishing the Pradhan Mantri – Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) to enhance healthcare infrastructure.
- Launching the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genome Sequencing (INSACOG) network.
The government has allocated Rs. 64180 crores for the PM-ABHIM scheme to bolster healthcare infrastructure and pandemic preparedness.
