National Wildlife Health Policy

National Wildlife Health Policy Latest News

The Government of India is drafting a National Wildlife Health Policy (NWHP) to strengthen wildlife disease surveillance, research, and diagnostics.

About National Wildlife Health Policy (NWHP)

• The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) initiated this program to enhance wildlife health and manage zoonotic diseases.
• This initiative is a key component of the National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-31) and follows the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health.

Key Institutions & Initiatives Under NWHP

• National Referral Centre for Wildlife (NRC-W): It was recently inaugurated in Junagadh, Gujarat, and will serve as a key hub for wildlife health management.
  • Functions as India’s first wildlife disease diagnostic and research centre.
  • Investigate wildlife mortalities, outbreaks, and facilitates disease treatment.
• National Wildlife Health Information System: Proposed under NWHP to streamline disease reporting and surveillance across regions.
  • Will work alongside the National Animal Disease Referral Expert System and National Animal Disease Reporting System to forecast and prevent outbreaks.
• Central Zoo Authority (CZA)
  • Statutory body under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
  • Established in 1992 under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
  • It aims to strengthen wildlife conservation efforts and maintain animal health in zoological parks.

Alignment with India’s Wildlife Conservation Framework

• National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-31):
  • Outlines 103 conservation actions and 250 projects.
  • Includes standard protocols for disease surveillance in tiger reserves and protected areas.
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Provides legal backing for wildlife disease monitoring and control.

National Wildlife Health Policy FAQs

Q1. What is the National Wildlife Health Policy?
Ans. The National Wildlife Health Policy is a framework aimed at monitoring, preventing, and managing wildlife diseases to protect biodiversity and ecological balance.

Q2. Why is wildlife health important?
Ans. Wildlife health is crucial to maintaining ecosystem stability, preventing zoonotic diseases (like COVID-19), and ensuring conservation efforts are effective.

Q3. How does this policy help in preventing zoonotic diseases?
Ans. It establishes monitoring systems to detect diseases in wildlife before they spread to humans, promoting a “One Health” approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health.

Source: IE