India Enhances Influenza Preparedness with Two-Day Chintan Shivir
The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) India, is hosting a pivotal two-day Chintan Shivir aimed at enhancing the country’s preparedness and response to influenza. This event, taking place from December 22-23, 2025, in New Delhi, brings together various stakeholders to discuss strategies for an effective response as the influenza season approaches.
Health Minister Highlights Preparedness
During the inaugural session held virtually, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda emphasized the significance of this gathering for all related parties. He underscored the need for a coordinated approach to bolster influenza preparedness and response capabilities, including necessary surge capacities. The Minister also pointed out the critical role of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). He advocated for a collaborative effort between the Centre and States to establish robust surveillance systems throughout India.
Multisectoral Engagement at the Chintan Shivir
The Chintan Shivir attracted around 110 representatives from diverse ministries, departments, and institutions, showcasing extensive multisectoral involvement. Attendees included officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and various health research councils, among others. Eleven states joined the discussions in person, while others participated virtually, facilitating knowledge sharing and the exchange of best practices.
Addressing Influenza Challenges
Influenza poses a persistent public health threat in India and globally, leading to significant illness and fatalities, particularly among vulnerable groups such as young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic health conditions. In light of these concerns, the Chintan Shivir comes at an opportune time. The Union Health Ministry is actively monitoring influenza trends across the states and union territories through the IDSP network, aiming to ensure a comprehensive preparedness approach.
Creating a Structured Approach to Preparedness
A key objective of the Chintan Shivir is to develop a more effective and actionable framework for preparedness assessments by states and institutions. Attendees discussed the implementation of a practical preparedness checklist to help identify gaps, outline necessary actions, and enable timely follow-ups. The importance of clear role definitions, timely information sharing, and coordinated departmental actions was strongly affirmed in the discussions.
Strengthening One Health Initiative
This initiative marks a significant advancement towards strengthening One Health-based preparedness, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health systems. By promoting interdepartmental coordination through this holistic approach, the Chintan Shivir contributes to enhancing India’s pandemic readiness and advancing the nation’s health security objectives, in line with the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
Observer Voice is the one stop site for National, International news, Sports, Editor’s Choice, Art/culture contents, Quotes and much more. We also cover historical contents. Historical contents includes World History, Indian History, and what happened today. The website also covers Entertainment across the India and World.
