AIIMS Hosts National Workshop to Strengthen India’s One Health Framework for Emerging Disease Preparedness

New Delhi: In an effort to strengthen India’s preparedness against emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Epidemiology Foundation of India (EFI), organized a National Workshop on “Strengthening Surveillance, Diagnostics, and One Health Response.”


The workshop, held at AIIMS’ Jawaharlal Auditorium, brought together leading experts, scientists, and policymakers from human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Discussions focused on integrated surveillance, zoonotic disease control, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the urgent need for cross-sectoral collaboration.

Why One Health Matters

Experts highlighted that India faces continuous threats from zoonotic and vector-borne diseases such as scrub typhus, leptospirosis, and Nipah virus, all of which underscore the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health. Rapid urbanisation, deforestation, and climate change are further compounding these risks.

“One Health is not a theoretical concept but a public health necessity for India,” said Prof. Umesh Kapil, President of the Epidemiology Foundation of India. “Collaborative surveillance, evidence-based diagnostics, and strong institutional linkages across sectors form the backbone of effective health strategy.”

Workshop Highlights

The scientific sessions featured experts from AIIMS, ICMR, NIE Chennai, CMC Vellore, CSIR-NEERI, and the Ministry of Health. Key discussions included:

* The National One Health Mission and India’s progress under ICMR.

* Case studies on leptospirosis, scrub typhus, and avian influenza.

* Use of AI-enabled diagnostics and community-based surveillance for early detection.

The Road Ahead

India’s recent establishment of regional One Health centres and the launch of the National Institute of One Health (Nagpur) mark major milestones in integrating surveillance and training.


Prof. M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS New Delhi, emphasised,“AIIMS is committed to fostering inter-sectoral collaboration. One Health must become part of institutional culture — from clinical research to public health response.”


The workshop concluded with a joint call to strengthen data-sharing networks, laboratory systems, and digital surveillance platforms to ensure faster detection and response to health threats at the human–animal–environment interface.