**Executive Summary**
The National Institute of One Health (NIOH) organized a two-day national workshop in Nagpur on March 18, 2026, titled “Operational Frameworks for One Health: National Vision and State Action.” The workshop aimed to translate the National One Health Mission (NOHM) into actionable strategies for coordinated implementation at state and local levels. Key objectives include the integration of human, veterinary, and environmental surveillance systems and the formation of dedicated outbreak response teams.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Strategic Objectives of the National One Health Mission**
* Implement a "whole-of-government" approach to manage zoonotic threats and enhance national health security.
* Translate high-level national visions into actionable strategies for implementation by state and local authorities.
* Strengthen medical countermeasures and pandemic preparedness through inter-sectoral coordination.
**Integrated Surveillance and Interoperability**
* Transition from parallel monitoring systems to interoperable systems across human health, veterinary, wildlife, and environmental sectors.
* Ensure seamless data flow across departments to establish effective early warning systems for emerging threats.
* Utilize "environmental intelligence" as a core component of integrated surveillance.
**Workshop Technical Focus**
* Operationalizing the One Health approach through technical sessions and panel discussions.
* Addressing biothreat preparedness and the development of medical countermeasures.
* Conducting investigations into wildlife-related outbreaks and managing "spillover" risks at human-animal interfaces.
**Impact Analysis**
**State and District Government Authorities**
**Impact**
These entities are identified as the primary level for operationalizing the national vision and managing local outbreaks.
**Action Required**
Establish structured One Health frameworks and form dedicated outbreak response teams at both the state and district levels.
**Human Health, Veterinary, and Wildlife Departments**
**Impact**
Current parallel reporting systems are deemed insufficient for early warning and national security.
**Action Required**
Collaborate to create interoperable data systems and move toward integrated surveillance to ensure departmental alignment.
**Scientific and Technical Institutions**
**Impact**
Increased responsibility for coordinating research on zoonotic diseases and biothreats.
**Action Required**
Engage in inter-sectoral coordination to develop medical countermeasures and investigate the landscape of zoonotic spillover risks.
Key Entities Referenced
National One Health Mission (NOHM): A whole-of-government initiative aimed at tackling zoonotic threats, strengthening medical countermeasures, and establishing a foundation for national health security.
National Institute of One Health (NIOH): The specialized institution under the Department of Health Research responsible for translating the mission's vision into actionable local and state-level strategies.
Department of Health Research (DHR): The primary administrative department under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that oversees the NIOH and coordinates the mission's architecture.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR): The leading body for biomedical research in India that collaborates on the One Health framework to manage ecological and human-animal health interfaces.
Nagpur, Maharashtra: The central location for the National Institute of One Health and the state identified as the model for structured implementation of the One Health policy.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
National Workshop on One Health organised in
Nagpur on “Operational Frameworks for One
Health: National Vision and State Action”
“One Health is not just a concept, but the foundation of our
national health security and future pandemic preparedness”:
Principal Scientific Advisor Prof. Ajay Sood
“The National One Health Mission exemplifies a whole-of-
government approach in tackling zoonotic threats and
strengthening medical countermeasures”: Secretary DHR and
DG ICMR Dr. Rajiv Bahl
Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 5:20PM by PIB Delhi
National Institute of One Health (NIOH), Nagpur, under the Department of Health Research (DHR),
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the ICMR-RMRC, Bhubaneswar organized a
two-day national workshop themed “Operational Frameworks for One Health: National vision and state
action”. The workshop aimed to translate the vision of the National One Health Mission (NOHM) into
actionable strategies, enabling coordinated implementation at the state and local levels.
The inaugural session of the workshop featured the keynote address by Prof. Ajay Sood, Principal
Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India. Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Government of India,
Department of Health Research and Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research virtually
delivered the special address on this occasion. Dr. Naveena. B. Maheswarappa, Animal Husbandry
Commissioner, DAHD, New Delhi addressed the gathering virtually. Prominent dignitaries that graced the
inaugural session included Dr. Niteen Patil, Vice Chancellor, MAFSU Nagpur (Chief Guest), Dr. Prashant
P. Joshi, Executive Director AIIMS, Nagpur (Guest of Honour), Dr. Ranjan Das, Director, NCDC, New
Delhi (Guest of Honour), Dr. Deepak Mhaiskar (I.A.S), Chairman, SEIAA, Maharashtra, and Dr. Satish
Raju, Regional Joint Commissioner of Animal Husbandry Dairying, Nagpur and Dr. Pragya Yadav,
Director In-charge, NIOH, Nagpur.
Delivering his Keynote Address virtually, Prof. Ajay Sood emphasized the urgency of integrated
surveillance. He stated, “One Health is not just a concept, but the foundation of our national health
security and future pandemic preparedness. Maharashtra has the capacity to become a model for structured
One Health implementation, demonstrating how policy, science, and governance can align effectively.
Human health surveillance, veterinary disease reporting, wildlife monitoring, and environmental
intelligence must move beyond parallel systems and become interoperable to ensure early warning which
depends on seamless data flow across departments.”Speaking virtually on the occasion, Dr. Rajiv Bahl highlighted the Mission's architecture and the
importance of inter-sectoral coordination in pandemic readiness. He remarked, “The National One Health
Mission exemplifies a whole-of-government approach in tackling zoonotic threats and strengthening
medical countermeasures. Our ecological diversity and close human-animal interactions create complex
health interfaces where new threats can emerge. Strengthening our ability to manage these risks through
the coordination of scientific institutions, government departments, and technical partners is an essential
pillar of national health security.” He further stressed the need for state and district level outbreak response
teams.
The two-day workshop explored the complex landscape of zoonotic diseases and spillover risks. The first
day featured technical sessions and panel discussions focused on operationalizing the One Health
approach. The second day centered on biothreat preparedness, the development of medical
countermeasures, and investigations into wildlife-related outbreaks.
.***
SR/GS
HFW/NIOH/18th March 2026/1
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