Union Health Secretary delivers keynote address at National Conclave on “Augmented Zoonotic Diseases Surveillance at Human – Wildlife Interface” & National Conclave for Endorsement of “National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming”

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Health Secretary delivers keynote address at National Conclave on “Augmented Zoonotic Diseases Surveillance at Human – Wildlife Interface” & National Conclave for Endorsement of “National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming” published in “PIB” on 18th October 2023

What is the News?

Union Health Secretary has delivered the keynote address at the National Conclave on “Augmented Zoonotic Diseases Surveillance at Human – Wildlife Interface” and National Conclave for Endorsement of “National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming”.

What are the key highlights from the address of the Union Health Secretary on Zoonotic Disease and Snakebite Envenoming?

Zoonotic disease is one of the areas of concern which is affecting humans as well as animals’ health

– 75% of new infectious diseases that have emerged in the last 30 years are zoonotic.

– Limited knowledge and skills to identify zoonotic diseases and limited diagnostic facilities at all levels has resulted in neglect of the infectious diseases caused due to zoonotic pathogens.

– Hence, in the light of these new and emerging health threats, there is a growing importance of the ‘One Health’ approach.

Snake Evenoming: Snake bite is a neglected public health issue in many tropical and subtropical countries. 

– Most of these occur in Africa, Asia and Latin America.In Asia up to 2 million people are envenomed by snakes each year.

– In India, snake bites continue to be a huge problem causing nearly 60,000 deaths annually.  

Measures taken by India: Union Health Ministry is implementing various national programs under National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) which includes:

– National One Health Programs for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses (NOHPPCZ)

– National Rabies Control Programs (NRCP)

– Program for Prevention and Control of Leptospirosis (PPCL)

– Snake Bite Prevention and Control (SBPC)

– National Programme on AMR Containment

– National programme on Climate Change and Human Health(NPCHH).