Pushing One Health approach, U.P. priorities early identification and reporting of emerging zoonotic diseases

Uttar Pradesh Animal Husbandry department on Sunday (August 9, 2026) said it is strengthening the capacity for early identification and reporting of emerging zoonotic diseases, surveillance systems, laboratory strengthening, outbreak preparedness, pushing the One Health approach framework.

“Recently, the Animal Husbandry Department developed a Compendium for Veterinarians on Zoonotic & Priority Animal Diseases,. The compendium has been designed to strengthen the knowledge of field veterinarians on priority zoonotic diseases, standardized case definitions, surveillance and timely disease reporting. We are strengthening the capacity for early identification and reporting of priority zoonotic and other important animal diseases. The state will also enhance its diagnostic capacity through ELISA-based testing for priority zoonotic diseases. Interventions to strengthen farm-level biosecurity in Pilibhit and Gorakhpur districts, promoting improved disease prevention and infection control practices, is also taking place. The State is committed to strengthen One Health systems through coordinated interdepartmental action,” told Mukesh Kumar Meshram, Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department, to The Hindu.

Mr. Meshram, a 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer said that under the RISE Global Health Security (RISE GHS) Project, the Animal Husbandry Department, in collaboration with the Forest and Wildlife Department, successfully conducted active surveillance for Avian Influenza among wild migratory birds at 19 Ramsar and other important wetland sites across Uttar Pradesh.

“During the previous migratory season, over 1,100 samples were collected and tested at IVRI, Bareilly. Building on this success, similar surveillance will be undertaken during the upcoming migratory bird season across all Ramsar sites and other important wetlands in the state. A State-Level Training of Trainers (ToT) programme for government veterinarians will be conducted to strengthening One Health systems through coordinated interdepartmental action. We are focused on emerging zoonotic threats, spillover risks and multisectoral strategies for disease prevention, while the second deliberated on strengthening One Health surveillance through early detection, integrated data sharing and coordinated outbreak response,” he added.