India
Biothreat pathogens; Emerging infectious diseases
- India’s vast human and animal populations combined with its large agricultural economy and sociodemographic factors could support the emergence/re-emergence of zoonotic pathogens.
- Women farmers (WFs) have central roles in India’s large agricultural economy, especially in animal husbandry.
Challenge
WFs are critical for disease prevention and reporting, yet they have lower access to information and training on best biosafety practices due to limited engagement with male veterinary health professionals (VHPs) who primarily perform fieldwork. Women veterinary health professionals (WVHPs) can operationally engage better with WFs, but most face barriers-to-entry for fieldwork jobs and opt for positions in clinical or laboratory settings.
How we are helping
We are developing innovative training networks of WVHPs and WFs to enhance capacity to rapidly detect outbreaks of high consequence pathogens, including zoonotic. As WVHPs are distinctly positioned to be key integrators of enhancing biosecurity and biosafety (BS&S) practice in the clinic/laboratory and field settings, we will train them in field and laboratory BS&S practices, One Health epidemiology, and community engagement, and then, in turn, they will train WFs in biosafety and reporting practices relevant to their daily responsibilities.
Anticipated outcomes
This project will strengthen capacity to detect high consequence pathogens at the human-animal interface and develop a cadre of trained WVHPs prepared to address and mitigate outbreaks of high consequence pathogens.
