**Executive Summary**
The Fifth Scientific Steering Committee Meeting on the National One Health Mission was held on May 18, 2026, to enhance national preparedness against zoonotic and climate-sensitive health threats. The meeting focused on reviewing past milestones, releasing new governance frameworks, and ensuring inter-sectoral coordination across various government departments. Key action items include translating frameworks into measurable ground-level actions, conducting regular mock drills, and integrating One Health priorities into annual budgetary processes.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Governance and Frameworks**
* **Model Governance Framework:** A video was released detailing the framework for strengthening One Health governance in States and Union Territories, focusing on decentralized implementation.
* **Assembly Proceedings:** The committee released the proceedings from the National One Health Assembly (November 2025) and the Workshop on Operational Frameworks (March 2026).
* **Inter-sectoral Coordination:** Emphasis was placed on strengthening coordination between health, environment, and animal husbandry sectors to address emerging public health threats.
**Surveillance and Technical Milestones**
* **Advanced Surveillance:** Initiation of genomics and metagenomics-based networks for improved threat detection.
* **Interface Monitoring:** Launch of surveillance initiatives at the human-animal-environment interface, specifically in zoos, bird sanctuaries, and slaughterhouses.
* **Technological Integration:** Focus on AI-enabled pathogen detection and technology-enhanced surveillance.
**Strategic Priorities and Operations**
* **Infrastructure:** Strengthening of BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories and the development of medical countermeasures.
* **Data Management:** Establishment of cross-sectoral data sharing and data integration committees.
* **Planning:** Integration of One Health interventions into the annual work plans and budgetary processes of stakeholder ministries.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Central Ministries and Departments (Health, Environment, Animal Husbandry, Science & Tech, etc.)**
**Impact:** These bodies are now responsible for incorporating One Health priorities into their specific departmental agendas and financial planning.
**Action Required:** Integrate One Health activities into annual work plans and budgets; document and highlight mission-related activities.
**Stakeholder: State and Union Territory Governments**
**Impact:** States are provided with a standardized Model Governance Framework to guide local implementation and institutional coordination.
**Action Required:** Adopt the decentralized implementation pathways and establish state-level operational mechanisms for One Health.
**Stakeholder: Scientific and Research Organizations (ICMR, CSIR, NIOH, etc.)**
**Impact:** There is an increased mandate for technical output regarding surveillance, laboratory standards, and pathogen detection.
**Action Required:** Advance genomics-based surveillance, strengthen BSL-3/4 laboratory capacities, and participate in cross-sectoral data-sharing initiatives.
**Stakeholder: Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) and Steering Committee**
**Impact:** The leadership is tasked with overseeing the transition from theoretical frameworks to measurable field actions.
**Action Required:** Oversee regular mock drills, identify funding requirements for implementation, and ensure sustained inter-sectoral collaboration.
Key Entities Referenced
National One Health Mission: A national initiative focused on strengthening inter-sectoral coordination for public health preparedness against zoonotic and climate-sensitive diseases.
Scientific Steering Committee: A high-level committee responsible for overseeing the progress, milestones, and strategic direction of the National One Health Mission.
Office of Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA): The primary government office leading the coordination of the National One Health Mission and chairing its steering committee.
Model Governance Framework: A policy document released to institutionalize decentralized One Health implementation and coordination mechanisms across Indian States and Union Territories.
Prof. Ajay K. Sood: The Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and Chairman of the Scientific Steering Committee on One Health.
Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to GoI
Fifth Scientific Steering Committee Meeting on
National One Health Mission Held in New Delhi
Posted On: 18 MAY 2026 6:18PM by PIB Delhi
The Fifth Meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee on One Health was held on 18th May 2026 at
Kartavya Bhavan 3, New Delhi under the chairmanship of Prof. Ajay K. Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser
(PSA) to the Government of India.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health (DHR) and DG Indian
Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA (OPSA);
Dr M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES); Dr. Ranjan Das, Director, National
Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); senior representatives from ICMR; Ministry of Environment, Forests
and Climate Change (MoEF&CC); Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD); Department
of Biotechnology (DBT); Department of Science & Technology (DST); Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR); Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO); National Security
Council Secretariat (NSCS); MoES, Ministry of Ayush; NCDC; National Institute for One Health (NIOH);
Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP); OPSA, and Gujarat state representatives.
At the outset, the Chair appreciated the continued commitment and active participation of all stakeholder
Ministries and Departments in advancing the One Health approach and underscored the growing
importance of strengthened inter-sectoral coordination in light of recent outbreaks and emerging public
health threats.Deliberations during the meeting focused on strengthening national preparedness against emerging public
health threats, particularly zoonotic diseases and climate-sensitive health challenges, through enhanced
inter-sectoral coordination and long-term planning.
Over the past year, the National One Health Mission has achieved several important milestones, including
the development of the Model Governance Framework to strengthen One Health governance mechanisms
in States and Union Territories, initiation of genomics and metagenomics-based surveillance networks for
improved detection of emerging health threats, launch of surveillance initiatives at the human-animal-
environment interface including in zoos, bird sanctuaries, and slaughterhouses, and promotion of public
awareness and youth engagement through initiatives such as the National One Health Assembly.
During the meeting, a video on the Model Governance Framework for strengthening One Health
governance in States and Union Territories was released, highlighting pathways for institutional
coordination and decentralized implementation of One Health across the country. The video can be
accessed on
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Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the GoI
Watch on
The Committee also released the proceedings of the National One Health Assembly held in November
2025, as well as the proceedings of the Workshop on Operational Frameworks for One Health: National
Vision and State Action held at Nagpur, Maharashtra, 17th – 18th March 2026, which brought together
States, Union Territories, and key stakeholders to discuss governance structures and operational
mechanisms for implementing One Health at the state level.The meeting further discussed activities and interventions that may be undertaken by stakeholder
Ministries and Departments, and how these may be integrated into annual work plans and budgetary
processes. Discussions covered short-, medium-, and long-term One Health priorities, with emphasis on
integrated surveillance, laboratory strengthening, AI-enabled pathogen detection, cross-sectoral data
sharing, and development of medical countermeasures.
Updates were also presented by the Chairs and Member Secretaries of key work streams under the
Advisory and Review Committees, including BSL-3/4 Laboratories chaired by Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Dr.
Madhuri Kanitkar, Technology-Enhanced Surveillance chaired by Dr. N.K. Arora, Data integration and
data sharing committee chaired by Dr. Vijay Chandru and Medical Countermeasures chaired by Dr Renu
Swarup and presented by Dr. Nivedita Gupta, ICMR.
In his concluding remarks, Prof. Sood underscored the need to translate agreed frameworks into
measurable and sustained action on the ground, emphasizing the importance of regular mock drills,
strengthened preparedness mechanisms, and timely identification of funding requirements to support
implementation. He also encouraged all stakeholder Ministries and Departments to consciously document
and highlight activities under the National One Health Mission, while continuing collaborative and
constructive efforts to advance the Mission’s objectives.
***
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