Experts call for cross-sector collaboration for One Health initiative in Karnataka

“Human health cannot be protected in isolation from animal and environmental health,” said Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, in her video address at the inaugural session of the One Health Conclave 2026 at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.  

Stressing the importance of strengthening public health systems to detect and respond to risks before they escalate into crises, she highlighted ‘the need for integrated surveillance, scientific collaboration, and coordinated prevention to address emerging health threats’. 

The conclave was organised by the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) and HCL Foundation, in collaboration with NIMHANS and The Association of People With Disability, bringing together government representatives, scientists, public health professionals, community practitioners, and civil society organisations to explore ways to translate the ‘One Health’ approach into practical solutions.  

The discussions focused on the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health, and the need to move beyond fragmented responses towards co-ordinated action involving communities, government institutions and multiple sectors.  

Addressing the gathering through video conferencing, Uma Mahadevan, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, Government of Karnataka, emphasised the importance of decentralised governance in implementing One Health solutions.  

“Panchayats and urban local bodies are well-positioned to bring together government departments, frontline workers and communities. Their local knowledge and decision-making powers can help shape solutions around community priorities and enable people to participate in addressing interconnected challenges,” she said. 

Highlighting the role of science and technology in anticipating and responding to emerging health threats, Vijay Chandru, co-founder of STRAND and YANTRI Labs, spoke about how the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of genomic surveillance, epidemiological data and computational science. 

“One Health presents an opportunity to build on these advances by connecting data across human, animal and environmental health systems,” he said, adding that the challenge was to turn data into intelligence that could help identify emerging threats. 

The conclave also examined how interconnected health risks affect everyday life, particularly among farming communities, livestock keepers, tribal populations, and residents of informal urban settlements. Anti-microbial resistance and zoonotic diseases also featured among the concerns requiring co-ordinated action across sectors. 

Dr. Veena V., DD SSU & CMD and Mahamood Shariff, State Programme Officer, NVBDCP and Climate Change Management (both from the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services), organic farmer and climate change activist Vivek Cariappa, and Nidhi Pundhir, Director of HCL Foundation, spoke at the event.