The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, is set to receive a significant boost in its efforts to enhance animal health security. The G20 Pandemic Fund has approved a $25 million proposal submitted by the department, aimed at strengthening India’s pandemic preparedness and response capacities through the improvement of animal health security. This strategic initiative underscores the increasing recognition of the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
The Critical Role of Animal Health Security
In the aftermath of the profound global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an amplified call for coordinated action to build robust One Health systems. In the past few decades, a notable portion of public health emergencies of international concern declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) originated from animals. This underscores the necessity for a comprehensive One Health approach that prioritizes animal health security as a pivotal component of pandemic preparedness and response (PPR).
G20 Pandemic Fund: Financing Global Health Resilience
Established during Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, the Pandemic Fund serves as a conduit for vital investments to strengthen capacities related to pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response at national, regional, and global levels. With a specific focus on low- and middle-income countries, the fund is a proactive response to the lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis.
The success of the Pandemic Fund is evident from its reception of approximately 350 Expressions of Interest (EoI) and 180 full proposals in its inaugural call for submissions. The cumulative grant requests exceeded $2.5 billion, considerably surpassing the available funding envelope of $338 million. The fund’s Governing Board, reflecting its commitment to enhancing resilience against future pandemics, approved 19 grants in its first round of funding allocations on July 20, 2023, benefiting 37 countries across six regions.
Strengthening India’s Animal Health Security
The $25 million grant earmarked for the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying’s proposal holds the promise of significantly improving India’s ability to respond to emerging zoonotic threats. The proposal’s key interventions include:
Disease Surveillance and Early Warning System: Strengthening and integrating surveillance systems to enable timely detection and response to potential outbreaks.
Laboratory Network Enhancement: Upgrading and expanding the laboratory network to bolster diagnostic capabilities for rapid and accurate disease identification.
Inter-Operable Data Systems: Improving data management systems to facilitate efficient sharing and analysis of critical information.
Data Analytics for Risk Analysis and Communication: Building capacity for advanced data analytics to inform risk assessment and communication strategies.
Transboundary Animal Disease Security: Enhancing health security against transboundary animal diseases, which can have devastating economic and health impacts.
Cross-Border Collaboration: Fostering regional cooperation through cross-border collaboration, aligning efforts to prevent and mitigate pandemic threats.
A Multi-Faceted Approach
The G20 Pandemic Fund is not only about financial contributions. It is a mechanism to catalyze increased investments, promote coordination among stakeholders, and provide a platform for advocacy in the realm of pandemic prevention and preparedness. By focusing on reducing the risk of pathogen spillover from animals to humans, the project seeks to safeguard the health, nutritional security, and livelihoods of vulnerable populations.
Collaborative Implementation
The implementation of the proposal will be carried out in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the lead implementing entity. The World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will also play pivotal roles in ensuring the successful execution of the project.
