DAHD & UNDP MoU on Digitalisation of Animal Vaccine Cold Chain Mgmt

The Department of Animal Husbandry and  Dairying (DAHD) under the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India on Digitalization of Vaccine Cold Chain Management, Communication Planning and Capacity Building. 

The agreement was signed by Alka Upadhyay, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, and Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in India in New Delhi.

The significance of the MoU between DAHD and UNDP

India is the most populous country in the world with 142.86 Crore people,53.57 Million farm animals and 85.18 Million poultry. To keep these animals healthy, the government has started a vaccination programme. 

Also, humans who are in close contact with infected animals can become infected with various Zoonotic diseases, such as bird flu and coronavirus. 

Zoonotic diseases refer to diseases caused in humans due to viruses, bacteria, etc., being transmitted from an infected animal to a human who is in close contact with the infected animal.

The government has adopted a One Health Approach to deal with this problem.

One Health Approach recognises that human health is closely related to the health of animals and they are part of the same ecosystem. If animals are healthy, then the chances of humans being infected by Zoonotic diseases are also reduced.

One way to prevent infections in animals is to get them vaccinated. However the challenge is in the creation of a cold chain which can store the vaccine at an optimal temperature and a monitoring mechanism to ensure the availability of vaccines.

How will the UNDP help?

• The UNDP will support and strengthen India’s first animal vaccine supply chain management system to protect communities and animals and prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases.
• The MoU will help create a digital future through digitalisation and remote temperature monitoring of cold chains by UNDP India. To maintain their effectiveness, the vaccines will be stored within the prescribed temperature limit of 2-8 degrees Celsius.
• The partnership will also focus on skill development to improve the technical know-how and capacities of stakeholders in the animal husbandry sector and the extension services.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was set up by the United Nations in 1965 by merging United Nations Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance with the United Nations Special Fund.

The UNDP is the UN’s global development network, which helps member countries find solutions to their development challenges.

The UNDP focus on three main areas:

• Sustainable development
• Democratic governance and peacebuilding
• Climate and disaster resilience

Headquarters: New York, the United States of America. 

Administrator : Achim Steiner.