India’s One Health Approach to Tackle Future Pandemics

The Covid-19 outbreak revealed flaws in numerous nations with strong health systems, including those at the top of the Global Health Security Index. Additionally, it has given a chance to strengthen health systems in order to stop and deal with pandemics in the future. In order to avoid, prepare for, and respond to pandemics, India’s One Health concept strives to address the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems jointly.

What is PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM ABHIM)? 

PM ABHIM is being rolled out as India’s largest scheme to scale up health infrastructure.

It is aimed at ensuring a robust public health infrastructure in both urban and rural areas, capable of responding to public health emergencies or disease outbreaks.

Key features:

Health and Wellness Centres: In a bid to increase accessibility it will provide support to 17,788 rural HWC in 10 ‘high focus’ states and establish 11,024 urban HWC across the country.

Exclusive Critical Care Hospital Blocks: It will ensure access to critical care services in all districts of the country with over five lakh population through ‘Exclusive Critical Care Hospital Blocks’.

Integrated public health labs: It will also be set up in all districts, giving people access to “a full range of diagnostic services” through a network of laboratories across the country.

Disease surveillance system: The mission also aims to establish an IT-enabled disease surveillance system through a network of surveillance laboratories at block, district, regional and national levels.

Integrated Health Information Portal: All the public health labs will be connected through this Portal, which will be expanded to all states and UTs, the PMO said.

What is mean by One health?

One Health is an interdisciplinary approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

It emphasizes the need for collaboration between various sectors, including public health, veterinary medicine, environmental science, and others, to achieve optimal health outcomes for all.

key components of India’s One Health approach

Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM): The flagship program launched in October 2021 aims to prevent, prepare, and respond to pandemics. It seeks to fill the gaps in health systems at the national and state levels.

National Institute for One Health: The foundation for the institute was laid recently in Nagpur. It will identify hotspots for endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases to contain their spread early on.

Creation of a network of institutions for genomic surveillance: During the COVID-19 pandemic, India created a formidable network of institutions that can identify new pathogens. This can now be complemented with wider testing of wastewater and samples from incoming ships and aircraft.

Coordination between ministries: Several ministries, including health, animal husbandry, forests, and biotechnology, have been brought under the Principal Scientific Advisor to address overlapping mandates and improve coordination.

Expansion of research laboratories: India is expanding its network of research laboratories, which primarily focused on influenza, to cover all respiratory viruses of unknown origin.

Partnerships between research bodies and manufacturers: Indian manufacturers produced vaccines, test kits, therapeutics, masks and other items at very competitive prices, both for India and other countries. The partnerships between research bodies and manufacturers will need to be sustained and enhanced to make India a global hub in the biopharma sector.

Clinical trial network: The clinical trial network set up under the National Biopharma Mission is a positive step toward improving access to affordable new vaccines and drugs in India and around the world.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission: The mission can facilitate the bringing of private hospitals and clinics under a common platform and placing data in the public domain to augment surveillance in vulnerable areas.

Municipal corporations mandated to provide early alerts: Municipal corporations have been mandated to identify the most vulnerable areas and provide early alerts. For this to be successful, strong partnerships with communities, dairy cooperatives, and the poultry industry will be needed to identify new infections.

What are the potential advantages of the One Health approach?

Holistic approach: The One Health approach looks at the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. By taking a holistic approach, it enables a better understanding of the complex interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health, and can lead to more effective interventions and solutions

Early disease detection: The One Health approach emphasizes the importance of early disease detection in animals, which can serve as an early warning system for potential human outbreaks. This approach can help prevent the spread of diseases and reduce the risk of pandemics.

Better disease surveillance: The One Health approach facilitates better disease surveillance by enabling the sharing of information and resources between different sectors, including human health, animal health, and environmental health.

More effective responses: The One Health approach can lead to more effective responses to outbreaks by facilitating collaboration between different sectors and stakeholders, and ensuring a coordinated response.

Improved animal health: The One Health approach recognizes the importance of animal health and welfare, and can lead to improved animal health through better disease control and prevention measures.

Better environmental management: The One Health approach also recognizes the importance of environmental management and conservation, and can lead to more sustainable environmental practices that benefit both human and animal health.

Whether The Nuclear Power in India Should Be Phased Out?

The last nuclear power plant in Germany recently shut down, and France, the world’s nuclear superpower, is battling to replace its fleet of outdated reactors. The question of whether nuclear power, with its inherent concerns about cost and safety, remains a viable choice for a future devoid of fossil fuels, particularly in India, arises as solar and wind power gain popularity across the globe. Here, the question of whether nuclear power in India should be phased out arises.

prognosis for nuclear power globally

Renaissance of nuclear power in Europe and the US: In the past two years, a lot has occurred. Even in Europe and the United States, nuclear power is experiencing a revival, especially in the wake of the Ukraine War. China: China has already been making rapid progress with nuclear power.

South Korea: South Korea’s new president has changed the energy policy and committed to increasing the share of nuclear power in the country’s energy mix to 30% by 2030.

Japan: Japan, which should have completely shut down reactors after the Fukushima (accident), is restarting them, 10 have been restarted following years of inspection and upgrading safety systems, and I believe that the plan is to start 10 more. Japan had to do that because it was otherwise dependent either on expensive, imported coal or on natural gas (LNG).

UK: Beyond Germany, the U.K. has said that without scaling up nuclear power, it won’t be possible to decarbonise the electricity sector.

Why nuclear power is considered low-carbon or green energy?

Low greenhouse gas emissions: Nuclear power plants do not produce carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases during their operation, unlike fossil fuel plants that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide and contribute to climate change.

High energy density: Nuclear fuel contains a very high energy density, which means that a small amount of fuel can produce a large amount of energy. This makes nuclear power a very efficient and reliable source of energy.

Energy security: Nuclear power plants provide a stable and reliable source of energy, which can help to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and improve energy security.

Reduced air pollution: Nuclear power plants do not emit pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, or particulate matter, which can have negative impacts on human health and the environment.

Land use: Nuclear power plants require much less land than renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power, which can help to conserve land and natural habitats.

How Nuclear energy is also responsible for greenhouse gas emissions?

Nuclear energy itself does not emit greenhouse gases during its operation, but it does produce greenhouse gas emissions during the lifecycle of the plant, including mining, processing, and transportation of nuclear fuel.

The construction and decommissioning of nuclear power plants also produce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, nuclear power plants rely on fossil fuels for the transportation of nuclear fuel and the operation of auxiliary systems.

The greenhouse gas emissions associated with nuclear energy are significantly lower than those associated with fossil fuels, but they are not zero.

Why is there resistance to nuclear energy?

Safety concerns: The risk of nuclear accidents, such as those that occurred at Chernobyl and Fukushima, have led to safety concerns about nuclear power plants. The potential for radioactive contamination and long-term health effects on the surrounding population have made many people wary of nuclear power.

Nuclear proliferation: The possibility that nuclear power could be used to develop nuclear weapons is a concern for many countries, particularly those with nuclear weapons programs themselves.

Waste disposal: The radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants is dangerous and must be stored safely for hundreds of thousands of years. Finding a safe and secure method of storing this waste is a major challenge.

Cost: Nuclear power plants are expensive to build and maintain. Cost overruns and delays are common, and the cost of decommissioning nuclear power plants at the end of their life can be significant.

Public perception: Nuclear power has a negative public image in many countries, with many people associating it with danger and disaster.

What are the concerns over radioactivity from spent fuel?

Long-term storage: Spent nuclear fuel remains radioactive for thousands of years and requires careful handling and storage to prevent any potential exposure to humans and the environment.

Accidents: Accidents during transportation or storage of spent nuclear fuel can result in the release of radioactive material, which can cause severe environmental damage and health risks to humans and other living organisms.

Nuclear proliferation: Spent nuclear fuel can also be used to create nuclear weapons, and there are concerns about the risk of nuclear proliferation and the potential use of these weapons.

Disposal: The long-term disposal of spent nuclear fuel is also a major challenge, as it requires finding safe and secure locations to store the material for thousands of years.

Why India should never consider phasing out nuclear power?

Limited growth potential for hydropower: India has limited growth potential for hydropower due to factors such as conserving biodiversity, rehabilitating and compensating landowners, and seismological factors in the Himalayas. Therefore, nuclear power is an alternative to coal-based power plants.

Net-zero emissions goal: To achieve the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, India needs a combination of small modular reactors and large reactors. Therefore, multiple companies need to be allowed to operate nuclear reactors rather than a monopoly by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.

Firm, reliable and low-carbon power: Nuclear power is a source of firm, dispatchable power that is low carbon and reliable. It can provide a constant and stable source of electricity, especially when wind and solar energy are intermittent or variable.

Access to nuclear fuel: India has limited access to enriched uranium, which is required to fuel nuclear reactors. However, the country’s nuclear program is based on working around its limited supply of enriched uranium, and it has not faced any significant issues in accessing nuclear fuel.

Portfolio of technologies: A mix of supply-side and demand-side technologies is required to solve energy problems. Nuclear power can be a part of the portfolio of technologies that India needs to achieve its energy goals. Therefore, policy frameworks should be enabling rather than technology-specific.

Bharat Tap Rating System for Water Fixtures

The Centre is in the process of bringing in a star rating system for water fixtures similar to the ratings of electrical appliances.

Bharat Tap Rating

The star rating system would come under one umbrella called Bharat Tap, which was formulated under AMRUT 2.0 to drive water efficiency.

The initiative aims to promote and adopt water-efficient fixtures.

It would have 3, 4, and 5-star water fixtures based on their water efficiency.

This would help consumers make informed decisions while purchasing sanitary equipment.

Collaborators of the initiative

The Indian Plumbing Association and all manufacturers have been roped in to adopt and promote the new standards for water-efficient fixtures.

Why such move?

Data derived from this initiative showed that on average over 30% of water can be saved.

However, there was not enough data available to consumers to assist them in making informed decisions when purchasing sanitary fixtures.

Over 19,000 Seamounts discovered

Scientists have reported finding 19,325 new seamounts after poring through new high-resolution data. A study had already mapped 24,000 seamounts across the world’s oceans.

Why study this?

The recent discovery of new seamounts was made possible by advancements in altimetry for gravity-field mapping, which improved spatial coverage.

The CryoSat-2, Envisat, Jason-1 geodetic missions, and the SARAL satellite developed by India and France contributed to these advancements.

What are Seamounts?

Seamounts are underwater mountains formed through volcanic activity.

They are recognised as hotspots for marine life.

Most seamounts are formed near mid-ocean ridges, intraplate hotspots, and oceanic island chains with volcanic and seismic activity called island arcs.

They can be active, extinct or dormant volcanoes.

Importance of Seamounts

Seamounts provide information about the mantle’s composition and how tectonic plates evolve as they are formed when molten rock comes up from below the tectonic plates.

Oceanographers study seamounts to understand their influence on how water circulates and absorbs heat and carbon dioxide.

Seamounts are home to diverse biological communities as they can cause localised ocean upwelling, which brings nutrient-rich water from deep within the ocean to the surface.

How were they mapped?

Surveyors map seamounts using either echo sounders or multibeam sonar on ships for topographic mapping or using satellite altimetry for gravity-field mapping.

The hi-res maps produced by multibeam sonar mapping are often incomplete, whereas the low-res maps produced by satellite altimetry have better coverage.