What is the Empowered Committee for Animal Health (ECAH)?

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About Empowered Committee for Animal Health (ECAH):

Established in 2021, ECAH serves as the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying’s (DAHD’s) think tank,providing evidence-based insights and policy recommendations on national health programs,emerging disease threats, One Health initiatives, and regulatory frameworks for veterinary vaccines, drugs, and biologicals.
It brings together various animal health experts to collaborate on achieving the completion of its goals.
It was setup under the aegis of the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India.
- It is chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Government of India, and vice-chaired by the Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries.
- The members represented on the committee include experts from the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), the Veterinary Council of India (VCI), and prominent academics from notable veterinary institutes and industry.
ECAH is focused on creating resilient, farmer-centric animal health systems in India and bringing forth changes to ensure the long–term success of India’s livestock sector by
- Acting as a think tank to provide inputs on animal health programmes of national importance.
- Streamlining and improving the process of regulatory approval to protect public, animal health, and the environment by examining the safety, efficacy, and quality of veterinary products.
- Overseeing and supporting programmes/initiatives to drive uptake of innovative practices in the Indian animal health sector.
- Assessing the threat of and offering guidance on emerging animal diseases that have epidemic/pandemic potential.

Q1: What is the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)?

It is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India for the medical devices industry under the provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules. It works under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) is the head of the CDSCO.