STAKEHOLDER MEETING FOR THE ANIMAL HEALTH SYSTEM SUPPORT FOR ONE HEALTH PROGRAM (AHSSOH), A WORLD BANK INITIATIVE

JK Trust attended a two-day stakeholder meeting for the One Health Case Study as part of the Animal Health System Support team for One Health Program (AHSSOH), a World Bank initiative, at the Office of Director AH & D in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The project aims to cover 151 districts across five participating states: Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Assam, and Karnataka. It focuses on upgrading 75 districts/regional laboratories and strengthening 300 veterinary hospitals/dispensaries. Additionally, it aims to provide training to 9,000 para-veterinarians/diagnostic professionals and 5,500 veterinary professionals. During the meeting, the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala, launched the Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative (APPI) and the World Bank funded Animal Health System Support for One Health (AHSSOH) project under the Natonal One Health Mission on April 14, 2023, in New Delhi at the India Habitat Center. Key individuals present at the meeting included Mr. Jeevan Mohanti and Dr. Rana, Consultants from the World Bank, Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Commissioner of AH, Government of India, Mr. Gulshan Bamara, PS, AH & D, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Ashok Kumar, ADG, ICAR, Dr. Kelawal, VC of Kamdhenu University. The meeting also invited officers from various agencies such as AIIMS, IDSP, Forest, Environment, and Urban Administration. Discussions primarily focused on zoonotic diseases, including tracing, testing, treatment, and surveillance, with a strong emphasis on inter-agency coordination to prevent and manage these diseases.