One Health Alliance of South Asia (OHASA)

The One Health perspective recognizes that the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems are linked and therefore requires experts from different health-related fields to work together to predict, prevent, and control zoonotic disease incidence.

The Bengal Declaration is the direct outcome of the inaugural meeting of OHASA, which occurred in November 2009 at Chalsa, West Bengal, India. At this meeting, government representatives, leaders from the health sector and scientists from Bangladesh and India gathered to discuss the goals and challenges OHASA will focus on.

The aim of the Bengal Declaration is to gather more support for the One Health approach as well as recognition of OHASA's initiative. The Bengal Declaration is a call to action for ministerial agencies and governments of India and Bangladesh, the international donor community, national and international non-governmental organization, and human, animal and ecosystem health sciences. The Declaration lists critical challenges that OHASA will pursue in coming initiatives.

Wildlife Trust is developing a network of scientists in addition to the scientists on staff to work on these issues. Wildlife Trust and OHASA are also reaching out to other organizations to increase inter-governmental and inter-organizational collaboration around the One Health initiative.

Present at the first inaugural meeting of OHASA were the Hon'ble Minister for Environment and Forests from the Government of India (Shri. Jairam Ramesh), the Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock from the Government of Bangladesh (Mr. Md. Sharful Islam), as well as leaders from academia, conservation and health NGOs, the health sector and wildlife departments from both countries.

What is OHASA doing now?

Scientists, many of whom are local to the research regions, are collecting and analyzing data as part of the "Smart Surveillance" strategy through transboundary collaboration in areas where diseases are most likely to emerge. They are working to identify new pathogens in wildlife and to educate the people at most risk.

Since OHASA was officially announced and the Bengal Declaration signed by participants, the alliance has taken steps to further expand the scope of work and network.

Next steps include establishing an Interagency Task Force that spans governments and ministries to develop standardized reporting guidelines and protocols, creating a network of diagnostic laboratories in India and Bangladesh, and investigating all wildlife disease outbreaks.