Experts discuss One Health at a two-day conference in Chennai

TS Tirumurti, former Permanent Representative of India to the UN, with Soumya Swaminathan, Chairman, MSSRF, at a conference in the city on Thursday. M. Gururajan

A two-day conference and tabletop simulation exercise on One Health: Integrating Health Security and Biosecurity, organized by Deccan Center for International Relations (DCIR), in collaboration with MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and LEAD at IFMR/KREA University, began here on Thursday.

According to a published report, the conference provided an essential platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue between policy makers, scientists, public health professionals, biosecurity specialists, veterinarians and academics.

It aimed to strengthen India’s National One Health Mission by promoting integrated approaches to zoonotic disease control, antimicrobial resistance, environmental surveillance and biosecurity as a non-traditional security threat.

Ajay Kumar Sood, Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, attended as the Chief Guest.

TS Tirumurti, Former Permanent Representative of India to the UN and Chairman, Steering Committee, DCIR; Soumya Swaminathan, Chairman, MSSRF; and Sharon Buteau, Executive Director, LEAD at IFMR/KREA, spoke during the inaugural session.

Four sessions

The event included four thematic sections such as One Health: Biology, Technology and Future Innovations; Governance, Global Lessons and International Cooperation; One Health: The Foundation for National Health and Biosecurity; and biosafety, dual-use research, and laboratory networks. Several prominent speakers shared their views during these sessions.

Yvan J.-F. Hutin, the representative of the World Health Organization in India, delivered the valedictory address.

Published – 02 Jul 2026 22:45 IST