With several factors linked to prevalence and spread of zoonotic diseases, coordinated effort from all stakeholders is essential to address the challenges in the near future, said Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) Vice-Chancellor Y. Hari Babu
Speaking during the inaugural session of the three-day national symposium on ‘Intersectoral Approaches to Combat Zoonoses: Strategies and Challenges’ and the 15th Annual Conference of Indian Association of Veterinary Public Health Specialists (IAVPHS), here on Wednesday, Dr. Babu said implementation of multi-sectoral approaches would be an apt strategy in the current scenario.
He said the threat from zoonotic diseases could not be taken lightly as India itself contributes nearly a third of global deaths due to rabies and asserted that preventive action should not be initiated when the issue has reached alarming levels.
Stressing the importance of vaccinating stray dogs in Tirupati, Dr. Babu said with support from the departments concerned they would try to make the city rabies-free by July 6, 2018, to mark World Zoonoses Day. Recalling his experiences during a stint at Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (Bidar), Dr. Babu elucidated on how they (veterinarian, entomologist and doctor) dealt with brucellosis cases in the area.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Assistant Director General Dr. Ashok Kumar said systematic steps should be taken by joint collaborations to ensure a stable public health ecosystem. IAVPHS president R.K. Agrawal, conference convenor T. Madhava Rao, organising secretary A. Jagadeesh Babu, and College of Veterinary Science Associate Dean P. Eswara Prasad and others took part.