India to get $25 Mn from G20 animal fund and set to unveil two groundbreaking initiatives

From the G20 Pandemic Fund, India is set to be granted $25 million to enhance its animal health system. Although India had initially sought around $55 million from the fund, with $25 million designated for animal health and the remaining portion for human health, the approval has been granted solely for the animal health aspect.

India is set to unveil two groundbreaking initiatives at the G20 Health Working Group meeting in Goa. The Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI) aims to monitor animal diseases through extensive digital surveillance, facilitate vaccine advancements for humans, and institute targeted responses to animal and human health emergencies. Alongside this, the World Bank-supported Animal Health System Support for One Health (AHSSOH) project, with an initial allocation of Rs 1,228 crore, will launch in select Indian states.

APPI addresses the recent death of around 180,000 cattle due to lumpy skin disease (LSD), showing remarkable progress with the vaccination of approximately 90 million cattle against LSD.

The AHSSOH initiative seeks to strengthen district laboratories, provide mobile veterinary units, enhance dispensaries and hospitals, and train veterinarians and diagnostic professionals. Both projects are aligned with the "one health" concept, acknowledging the interdependence of animal health, human health, and the environment. This approach becomes crucial as two-thirds of infectious diseases impacting humans originate in animals, including the Covid-19 pandemic. The G20 event is organized by the Asian Development Bank, UN Environment Programme, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Source: Media Reports