Strengthening India’s Health Preparedness Framework

The need for early detection and timely intervention in response to biological threats was exemplified during the Covid-19 pandemic. Climate change and anthropogenic activities are drivers of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic viruses, while the risk of accidental or deliberate release of pathogens from research and manufacturing facilities remains real. Successful disease containment measures require judicious surveillance and response measures under a One Health emergency preparedness framework. This entails strengthening India’s pathogen identification mechanisms, driving the development of technologies to counter threats under an innovation-focused ecosystem, and the formulation of a robust security framework to mitigate different kinds of biological threats.

This roundtable discussion aims to bring together academicians, researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders to identify measures that can be harnessed to strengthen India’s public health response and preparedness framework. After the event, the proceedings would be analysed, and the key findings will be presented as a policy brief for consideration. As the world recovers from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is imperative that we utilise our resources to better prepare for biological threats.

Programme