Srinagar, Nov 15: Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Elections Departments, Javid Ahmad Dar on Saturday underscored the urgent need for coordinated action between departments to address interconnected challenges of human, animal and environmental health. He was speaking at the One Health Conference organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Veterinary Doctors Association–Kashmir (JKVDA-K) at SKUAST-K.
The event brought together a wide range of participants, including the Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-K, Director SKIMS, Directors of Animal and Sheep Husbandry Departments, scientists, researchers, academics, veterinary professionals and a large number of students.
Addressing the gathering, Dar said achieving the One Health objective requires a unified approach.
“We must come together to address the pressing issues of human, animal, and environmental health,” he said, adding that collaboration is the only sustainable way to tackle emerging health challenges.
Chairman of the One Health Conference, Dr Syed Altaf Gilani, and President JKVDA-K, Dr Riyaz Nazir Reshi, also spoke about the growing relevance of the One Health vision. They highlighted the need for institutional synergy across departments to confront zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance and other cross-sectoral health threats.
The conference featured detailed presentations and a panel discussion on key One Health themes, including zoonotic disease surveillance, responsible antimicrobial use and environmental risk mitigation.
Experts from SKIMS, GMC Srinagar, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department, Wildlife Department and SKUAST-K participated in the panel discussions, stressing that the complexity of modern health challenges demands coordinated planning, resource-sharing and continuous communication between institutions.
The conference concluded with a shared commitment among participating organisations to strengthen inter-departmental cooperation in safeguarding human, animal and environmental wellbeing.
