The World Bank has approved an $82 million loan towards the adoption of global best practices for animal health management to prevent, detect, and respond to endemic zoonotic, transboundary, and emerging infectious diseases. It will strengthen India’s One Health approach, which recognises that people and animals are connected with their shared environment.

Animal disease outbreaks globally continue to pose risks to public health systems and have enormous economic costs. With India having the largest livestock population in the world, these risks are particularly high. For example, foot and mouth disease alone costs the country more than $3.3 billion annually.

Through state-of-the-art laboratories, the programme will also strengthen collaboration and data sharing with the human health sector. It will also enhance food quality and safety in animal products, especially in livestock and wet markets.

The $82 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) uses the Program-for-Results (PforR) financing instrument that links disbursement of funds directly to the achievement of specific program results. The loan has a maturity of 11.5 years with a grace period of 4.5 years.