In response to the growing global threat of emerging zoonotic diseases, the Odisha government has announced plans to establish a Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC). The centre will play a crucial role in strengthening surveillance, early detection, and the management of diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans, such as rabies, leptospirosis, anthrax, scrub typhus, avian influenza, and swine flu.
The initiative is designed to improve public health safety by facilitating more efficient coordination across hospitals, veterinary institutions, laboratories, and surveillance units within the state. The HEOC will serve as a centralized command centre for monitoring and controlling zoonotic diseases, which pose a serious health threat.
The project is being funded under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) as part of the ‘One Health’ programme, a national strategy that integrates human, animal, and environmental health. The programme aims to enhance preparedness for emerging diseases and improve responses to public health emergencies and disasters with health implications.
Odisha is one of the pioneering states to pilot the ‘One Health’ programme due to the increasing burden of zoonotic diseases. The state’s new action plan focuses on collaborative strategies to address the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
Equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance tools and real-time data analysis capabilities, the HEOC will provide rapid responses to health emergencies. The centre will train healthcare professionals, veterinarians, and field officers to improve disease detection and containment efforts. Additionally, the HEOC will integrate data from multiple sources to generate insights and alerts that can help prevent outbreaks before they spread.
A senior health official confirmed that the centre will enhance the state’s capacity to respond effectively to zoonotic infections, stating, “The HEOC will offer a robust information system to ensure timely availability of emergency operations data, which will significantly strengthen our preparedness for health crises.”
Officials also noted that the centre would focus on monitoring antimicrobial resistance, an issue exacerbated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals. Collaboration with experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), veterinary institutions, and environmental agencies will help shape comprehensive strategies to combat these challenges.
The establishment of the HEOC marks a critical step in Odisha’s ongoing efforts to improve public health infrastructure and ensure a more coordinated, efficient response to zoonotic health risks.
The final location, infrastructure, and staffing requirements for the centre are still under review, with details to be finalized in subsequent meetings.
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