Patna: Public health experts, civic officials and representatives of various departments on Tuesday stressed the need for integrated surveillance of human, animal and environmental health to improve preparedness against disease outbreaks and emerging health threats.The discussion took place during a one-day workshop organised by the Metropolitan Surveillance Unit (MSU) of Patna Municipal Corporation. The workshop brought together officials from the health, animal husbandry, agriculture, forest and environment, urban development and disaster management departments, along with representatives from major healthcare and research institutions.Mayor Sita Sahu, deputy mayor Reshmi Kumari and Patna civil surgeon Dr Yogendra Mandal attended the programme. Representatives from AIIMS-Patna, IGIMS, PMCH, NMCH, Patna Veterinary College, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRI), NCDC Bihar and Bihar State Pollution Control Board also participated.Technical sessions focused on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance, zoonotic disease monitoring, laboratory networking, environmental surveillance and outbreak preparedness.Experts underlined the importance of data-driven monitoring and timely information sharing among departments to detect potential outbreaks at an early stage and ensure a rapid response. They said coordinated surveillance across human, animal and environmental sectors would help strengthen public health systems and improve preparedness for future health emergencies.MSU officials said efforts would continue to strengthen the One Health approach with support from partner institutions and technical agencies.
