With exotic animal diseases like African Swine Fever and Lumpy Skin Disease plaguing different parts of the country, with huge economic consequences, the ICAR Research Complex, Umiam, brought together national and international experts to discuss the roads ahead at the International Symposium on Zoonotic and Transboundary Diseases.
The two-day event concluded today and witnessed participation from all over the country, Veterinary Department of Meghalaya and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, touching upon crucial aspects for control of transboundary and zoonotic diseases by recommending a ‘One Health’ approach.
In the inaugural session, Dr KK Sarma emphasized the need of One Health for managing diseases of wildlife, which in turn affect domestic livestock.
AM Paturkar, Vice-Chancellor of Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, endorsed the multidisciplinary approach in handling complex biological challenges. The international narrative from ILRI also underpinned the same, giving examples from their efforts to contain African Swine Fever in South Asia.
Dr Ashok Kumar, Assistant Director General, Animal Health at ICAR New Delhi, pointed out that One Health is a focal theme of ICAR at the national level also.
