Webinar - India & the Netherlands - partnerships in the field of zoonotic diseases

Zoonotic diseases
Zoonotic diseases, or zoonoses, are diseases and infections that are naturally transmissible between vertebrate animals and humans, both directly and indirectly. The WHO estimates that zoonoses result in one billion cases of illness and millions of deaths each year. Zoonotic diseases are considered a key source of new infections, with an estimated 75% of newly identified emerging infectious diseases originating from animals. The incidence of zoonotic diseases is rising globally, including in India.

Although scientists and professionals were already familiar with the risk of zoonotic diseases, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought this threat to the attention of the public and policymakers, highlighting the potential for such diseases to spread across national boundaries. It has become clear that preventing and combatting these diseases requires international collaboration, breaking down barriers between nations, regions, and professions. Whether we mean literal national borders or figurative barriers that divide us, working together is necessary to overcome this grand challenge.

To address this, most international health organizations and national governments start recognizing the value of a One Health approach to address the risks posed by zoonotic diseases. One Health emphasises the interconnectedness of the different dimensions of health. It recognizes that human, animal, and environmental health are interdependent elements in the system and should be regarded as such, rather than isolated. Changes in one dimension almost always have an impact on the others. Nonetheless, far too often interaction between dimensions remains limited when addressing health challenges, hindering valuable experiences and information to be shared.

The study aims to analyse the trends, developments, practices, and main challenges regarding zoonoses and prevention measurements in India, provide an overview of policies and control measures, identify key stakeholders, and assess risks and opportunities for possible interventions. The study recognizes India as a high-risk country for the (re)emergence of zoonotic diseases due to the country's high population, fast-paced urbanization, and movement of people, animals, and goods.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New Delhi, India aims to promote collaboration in preventing and detecting zoonotic diseases by bridging international and professional barriers. This study aims to provide insight into the current situation in India, which can serve as a starting point for future collaboration with the Netherlands in the field of zoonotic diseases.

India and the Netherlands have a promising path for collaboration on this front, where much can be learned from experts on both sides. By breaking silos and building bridges, communication, transparency and innovation can be facilitated. Only by collaborating, this grand challenge can be addressed.

Contact our colleagues at Larive International (via mail of social media) if you would like to obtain a copy of the report.