Dr Harsh Vardhan, talking how human health could not be seen in isolation anymore, stressed on the need of ‘One Health’ approach, especially during COVID. He announced the creation of an Eco-Health initiative for India which will be supported by National Institute of One Health.
He elucidated that 64 per cent of all infectious diseases which have emerged between 1973 and 1994 had aetiology which was zoonotic in nature. While talking about zoonotic viruses, Harsh Vardhan said India is one of the four global hotspots for the emergence of zoonotic diseases and added that “we are struggling even after 15 months”.