Veena George highlighted the significance of this approach in enhancing public health, particularly in light of outbreaks such as Nipah and COVID-19.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George. (Facebook)
The Kerala Government on Friday, 17 May, emphasised the importance of “One Health”, a collaborative approach involving multiple sectors, including human health, animal health, and environmental health, to address public health issues comprehensively.
Addressing a programme in Thiruvananthapuram, Health Minister Veena George highlighted the significance of this approach in enhancing public health, particularly in light of outbreaks such as Nipah and Covid-19.
She said the Kerala government has taken concrete steps to implement this approach by establishing a One Health Institute and centres in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
Additionally, the government has trained many volunteers to facilitate communication and cooperation between various stakeholders, including government agencies and local communities.
“Since the outbreaks of Nipah and Covid-19, the One Health concept has gained significant attention. The state government has established a One Health Institute and centres in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. We have trained 250,000 volunteers to report and connect with government and local communities across Kerala,” the minister said.
She was inaugurating the concluding session of the Trivandrum Management Association’s annual event, TRIMA, in Thiruvananthapuram.
Understanding the importance of One Health, the state government has revised its health policy, and a public health act was passed by the legislative assembly last year, according to a release issued by TRIMA.
“We have established teams at the local level, including officers from the health department, water authority, pollution control board, and animal husbandry, with the panchayat president as the chairman. These committees will help quickly identify infection outbreaks and respond locally, ensuring close monitoring of the situation,” she is quoted as saying in the release.
She said that only through the collaborative and collective efforts of various departments can the state effectively combat the threat of infectious diseases.
She also expressed hope that ongoing studies by ICMR on the spillover process of Nipah would yield conclusions this year.
Highlighting major health challenges, she pointed out that dengue and chikungunya are significant concerns, along with the recent avian flu cases in Alappuzha and Kottayam.
Although avian flu has not affected humans in Kerala, globally, 800 people have been impacted, the release said.
The flu could be disastrous if it transmits to humans, and the state health department is closely monitoring the situation, it added.
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