Scientific Conclave on Livestock Vaccine Innovation Held in Hyderabad

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the  Ministry  of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying  in collaboration with Indian Immunologicals Limited and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) organised  a “Conclave on Pandemic Preparedness & Vaccine Innovation” in Hyderabad on 10th January  2025. The conclave was inaugurated by Prof. Dr Vinod K Paul, Member-Health, NITI AAYOG as the Chief Guest. Speaking on the occasion he emphasized the need to bolster veterinary infrastructure to effectively address future pandemics. This includes enhancing diagnostic facilities to ensure early detection and rapid response to emerging diseases. He also underscored the importance of establishing advanced platforms for the development and production of next-generation animal vaccines, which are crucial for preventing the spillover of zoonotic diseases and safeguarding both animal and human health. He said that strengthening these critical components aligns with the broader goal of building a resilient healthcare framework under the One Health approach. Dr. Paul  stressed that  preparedness for pandemics with 100 days timeline will be the right way to prepare and face future pandemics. Ms. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying , stated that the Government needs to spend more on animal health for better productivity and also improve supply chain and cold chain systems to make the last mile delivery effective. Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner , in his address emphasized upon the need to ensure vaccine security and pre-qualifications for animal vaccines. The Conclave aimed to foster a deeper understanding of various aspects of "One Health," focusing on enhancing vaccination programs, improving livestock health, building resilient supply chains for pandemic preparedness, strengthening pandemic responses, advancing disease surveillance, and streamlining vaccine testing, fostering  artificial intelligence in healthcare, cell and gene therapy vaccines and regulatory pathways for approval. The programme was also attended by Shri Rama Shankar Sinha, Joint Secretary (Livestock Health), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying ; Dr K Anand Kumar, Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited; Dr Sanjay Shukla, Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change; Dr B R Gulati, Director NIVEDI along with healthcare field experts, stake holders from vaccine industry, CDSCO etc.     India : The Global Vaccine Hub India is known as a global vaccine hub with more than 60% of the vaccines being manufactured in India and more than 50% of the vaccine manufacturers operating based out of Hyderabad. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying is implementing the world’s largest vaccination programme in livestock with 100% financial support from the Central Government for vaccination against Foot & Mouth Disease (102 crore vaccinations done) (WOAH endorsed) Brucellosis (4.23 crore vaccinations done), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) (17.3 crore vaccinations done), Classical Swine Fever (0.59 crore vaccinations done) and on sharing patterns for Lumpy Skin Disease (26.38 crore vaccination done) under which each animal receives a unique identification number (UID) recorded in the Bharat Pashudhan i.e National Digital Livestock Mission which keeps track of the vaccination schedule and ensures traceability. Such vaccination programmes have led to a significant reduction in the incidence of major livestock diseases in the country. **** AA The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the  Ministry  of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying  in collaboration with Indian Immunologicals Limited and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) organised  a “Conclave on Pandemic Preparedness & Vaccine Innovation” in Hyderabad on 10th January  2025. The conclave was inaugurated by Prof. Dr Vinod K Paul, Member-Health, NITI AAYOG as the Chief Guest. Speaking on the occasion he emphasized the need to bolster veterinary infrastructure to effectively address future pandemics. This includes enhancing diagnostic facilities to ensure early detection and rapid response to emerging diseases. He also underscored the importance of establishing advanced platforms for the development and production of next-generation animal vaccines, which are crucial for preventing the spillover of zoonotic diseases and safeguarding both animal and human health. He said that strengthening these critical components aligns with the broader goal of building a resilient healthcare framework under the One Health approach. Dr. Paul  stressed that  preparedness for pandemics with 100 days timeline will be the right way to prepare and face future pandemics. Ms. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying , stated that the Government needs to spend more on animal health for better productivity and also improve supply chain and cold chain systems to make the last mile delivery effective. Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner , in his address emphasized upon the need to ensure vaccine security and pre-qualifications for animal vaccines. The Conclave aimed to foster a deeper understanding of various aspects of "One Health," focusing on enhancing vaccination programs, improving livestock health, building resilient supply chains for pandemic preparedness, strengthening pandemic responses, advancing disease surveillance, and streamlining vaccine testing, fostering  artificial intelligence in healthcare, cell and gene therapy vaccines and regulatory pathways for approval. The programme was also attended by Shri Rama Shankar Sinha, Joint Secretary (Livestock Health), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying ; Dr K Anand Kumar, Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Limited; Dr Sanjay Shukla, Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change; Dr B R Gulati, Director NIVEDI along with healthcare field experts, stake holders from vaccine industry, CDSCO etc.     India : The Global Vaccine Hub India is known as a global vaccine hub with more than 60% of the vaccines being manufactured in India and more than 50% of the vaccine manufacturers operating based out of Hyderabad. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying is implementing the world’s largest vaccination programme in livestock with 100% financial support from the Central Government for vaccination against Foot & Mouth Disease (102 crore vaccinations done) (WOAH endorsed) Brucellosis (4.23 crore vaccinations done), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) (17.3 crore vaccinations done), Classical Swine Fever (0.59 crore vaccinations done) and on sharing patterns for Lumpy Skin Disease (26.38 crore vaccination done) under which each animal receives a unique identification number (UID) recorded in the Bharat Pashudhan i.e National Digital Livestock Mission which keeps track of the vaccination schedule and ensures traceability. Such vaccination programmes have led to a significant reduction in the incidence of major livestock diseases in the country. **** AA