New Delhi: Union minister Parshottam Rupala on Thursday (April 20) stressed on the need for the health sector, including animal health, to reduce its contribution to climate change and strengthen surveillance of animal-linked diseases to prevent health emergencies. Minister Rupala was delivering the inaugural address at a side event of the second G20 Health Working Group meeting titled ‘Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change and Health: One Earth, One Family, One Future’, the Union Health Ministry said in a statement.
Minister Rupala, the minister of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, said strengthening animal health and implementing a ‘One Health’ approach can help prevent and control zoonotic diseases that have a significant impact on animal welfare, economic productivity and human health.
The event was organised by the Asian Development Bank and the ministry with the aim of aligning the health sector’s development with the goals of the Paris Agreement and building climate-neutral and resilient health systems under the ‘One Health’ approach.
The ‘One Health’ approach recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.
In his address, Minister Rupala emphasised on the importance of a ‘One Health’ approach that recognises the linkages among human, animal and environmental health.
He also reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message that all of humanity is part of the same cosmos despite their geographical boundaries.
India’s G20 Mr. Sherpa Amitabh Kant stressed on the interconnectedness of various challenges such as climate change, healthcare and poverty.
He highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown how health and climate change are deeply intertwined with the Global South being more vulnerable due to a communicable disease burden and resource constraints, according to the statement.
Mr. Kant mentioned that India has made significant progress in the healthcare sector and become the world’s pharmacy with digital initiatives such as telemedicine and teleconsultations being sustainable solutions for a climate-resilient healthcare model.
India’s digital initiatives like telemedicine and teleconsultations are sustainable solutions for a climate-resilient healthcare model, he said.
Also Read: India’s G20 Presidency Worked To Further Global Good, Create A Better Planet: PM Modi
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NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
