India has a strong political will to lead in innovative research and technology-supported solutions which are commercially viable with universal acceptability, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said today.

“It is time that India takes the lead in realisation of ‘One Earth, One Health’ vision with a holistic and integrative eco and nature-friendly policy-making environment, and aligns it with our philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ for global health and well-being. Under the leadership of Prime Minister  Narendra Modi ji, India has a strong political will to lead in innovative research and technology support solutions which are commercially viable with universal acceptability,” he said addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit. The theme of the summit being ‘One Health: Integrated, Collaborative and Multisectoral Approach to Optimal Health’.

He said the ‘One Earth, One Health’ vision could become a reality only with active global collaboration where countries don’t think of only themselves, but of collective global outcomes.

He highlighted that the “health sector cannot be limited to one country as the health and well-being of one country impact the other. We live in an interdependent world, wherein not just countries but the health of the human population is equally affected and influenced by the health of the surrounding environment and animals.”

The global pandemic, Mandaviya said, has demonstrated that no country was immune from adverse developments in any country, and also that one’s actions impacted the health and well-being of the entire eco-system. ”It is, therefore, our collective responsibility as a human race to not only protect ourselves but also ensure that our actions result in protecting the environment we co-exist in,” he stressed. The vision of  “One Earth, One Health” has brought into sharp focus the importance of actions and eco-friendly policies, he elaborated.

Applauding India’s leading role in indigenous research and wealth of traditional therapies, Mandaviya highlighted that each country could have its own model of ensuring “One Earth, One Health”.

”It is, however, important to learn from each others’ best practices to enrich our models and work in synergy with each other to ensure that our collective actions leave behind a healthier world than the one we inhabit,” he stated.