ICMR DG outlines One Health Mission progress in reply to Rajya Sabha MP
ICMR DG Rajiv Bahl informs MP about One Health Mission activities, including expanded wastewater surveillance and new genomic hubs.
The Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Rajiv Bahl, has provided details of ongoing work under the National One Health Mission in a letter to Rajya Sabha member Ajeet Gopchade. The communication outlines several surveillance initiatives currently being implemented, including syndromic surveillance, integrated animal-human-wildlife surveillance, and wastewater surveillance.
Dr Bahl noted that wastewater surveillance, which currently tracks 13 priority pathogens across 47 cities, is slated for expansion to 75 cities by 2027. This move is expected to enhance early detection of disease outbreaks in urban populations.
In addition, five genomic and metagenomic hubs have been established to strengthen the country's capacity to identify novel or unknown pathogens. These hubs are part of a broader effort to improve preparedness against emerging infectious diseases.
The letter follows a call by Gopchade for a time-bound national biosecurity and biodefence strategy to address threats from bioterrorism, bio-warfare, laboratory accidents, and emerging infections. The MP also noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs has extensively consulted stakeholders on a draft National Biosecurity Policy, indicating that policy-level work is progressing alongside the technical surveillance measures.