CM stresses need for one health approach
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan
on Monday said
zoonotic diseases
, which transmit from animals and birds to humans, are posing a major challenge to the advances made by Kerala in the health sector, and emphasised the need for extensive adoption of 'one health approach' to contain this threat.
Inaugurating the new hi-tech laboratory at the College of Veterinary Animal Sciences, the CM said the govt has allocated Rs 33cr for setting up a centre of excellence in one health at
Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
(KVASU), Pookode in Wayanad.
"Kerala has achieved globally acclaimed gains in several health parameters. But of late we are facing some worries in these areas. Rise in infectious diseases is one of the major causes of these worries, and it is important to note that a lion's share of the infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin. In order to tide over this we have adopted the 'one health policy' which treats the environment and all living beings, including humans, as a continuum or a single unit," the CM said.
"Our objective is to create a healthy society, and for this it is not sufficient to ensure the health of humans alone. We need to take a proactive approach to ensure the health of the whole environment, including the entire living beings," he said, adding that the advanced referral-analytical-diagnostic laboratory inaugurated at the college will be a critical infrastructure to realise these objectives.
The laboratory set up at a cost of Rs 32cr is expected to make vital contributions in research and training in multiple areas, like healthcare, disease prevention and food security," Vijayan said.
Later inaugurating the 'Water Efficient Thrissur' project of the Thrissur corporation, the CM said the govt will ensure drinking water supply to all in the state soon. He claimed that the govt could provide safe drinking water to 55% of the rural families in Kerala and the per capita water availability in the state has shot up to 100 litres.
While receiving the guard of honour at the passing out parade of the 144 women police constable recruits at the Kerala Police Academy, the CM said the govt has been taking continuous steps to induct more women in police.
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