Score:
9/15
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Topper’s Copy
GS3
Science & Technology
15 marks
Q. “The rise of zoonotic diseases highlights the growing interconnectedness between human health, animal health, and environmental health.”
In the light of the recent hantavirus outbreak, discuss the challenges posed by zoonotic diseases to global public health. Also examine the importance of the One Health Approach in preventing future pandemics.
Student’s Answer
Evaluation by SuperKalam
Demand of the Question
- Challenges posed by zoonotic diseases to global public health
- Examine the importance of One Health Approach in preventing future pandemics
What you wrote:
Zoonotic disease - infections transmitted from animals to humans - account for over 60% of known infectious diseases and 75% of the emerging ones. The recent emergence of Hantavirus typically spread via rodent vectors, underscores the fragile interface between human civilization and the natural world.
Zoonotic disease - infections transmitted from animals to humans - account for over 60% of known infectious diseases and 75% of the emerging ones. The recent emergence of Hantavirus typically spread via rodent vectors, underscores the fragile interface between human civilization and the natural world.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could briefly define "spillover events" or "zoonotic transmission pathways" upfront (e.g., direct contact, vector-borne, foodborne) to provide conceptual clarity before diving into challenges.
What you wrote:
Challenges Posed to Global Public Health
1. Rapid Urbanization & Encroachment - expanding human settlements into wildlife habitats increases "spillover" events.
2. Climate Change - shifting temperature alter vector habitats, carrying diseases to previously unaffected regions.
3. Intensive Animal farming acts as a 'mixing bowl' for viral mutations.
4. Global Connectivity: In a globalized world, a local outbreak can become a pandemic → COVID -19, Hantavirus.
5. Antimicrobial Resistance - complicates the treatment.
Challenges Posed to Global Public Health
1. Rapid Urbanization & Encroachment - expanding human settlements into wildlife habitats increases "spillover" events.
2. Climate Change - shifting temperature alter vector habitats, carrying diseases to previously unaffected regions.
3. Intensive Animal farming acts as a 'mixing bowl' for viral mutations.
4. Global Connectivity: In a globalized world, a local outbreak can become a pandemic → COVID -19, Hantavirus.
5. Antimicrobial Resistance - complicates the treatment.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could add Hantavirus-specific challenges (e.g., asymptomatic reservoir hosts in rodents, lack of routine screening protocols in endemic regions like parts of Asia and Americas).
- Can strengthen climate change point with examples (e.g., expansion of Nipah virus due to bat migration triggered by deforestation and temperature shifts in Kerala, 2018).
What you wrote:
The One Health approach. A strategic Imperative
The One Health model recognizes that health of people is closely connected to the health of animal.
Importance in Preventing Future Pandemic
1. Early warning System - e.g. 'Pathogen x' - WHO
2. Environmental Stewardship - Restoring ecosystem services stress on wildlife, lowering the frequency of viral disease.
3. Collaborative governance and sustainable food system.
The One Health approach. A strategic Imperative
The One Health model recognizes that health of people is closely connected to the health of animal.
Importance in Preventing Future Pandemic
1. Early warning System - e.g. 'Pathogen x' - WHO
2. Environmental Stewardship - Restoring ecosystem services stress on wildlife, lowering the frequency of viral disease.
3. Collaborative governance and sustainable food system.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could elaborate on sustainable food systems (e.g., reducing bush meat trade, improving biosecurity in poultry farms to prevent avian influenza transmission).
- Can add India's National One Health Mission which integrates veterinary and human health surveillance to detect zoonotic outbreaks early.
- Could cite PREDICT Project (USAID) which identified over 1,200 new viruses through cross-sectoral wildlife-health surveillance before pandemics emerged.
What you wrote:
To safeguard global health, nations must move beyond reactive healthcare to proactive planetary health management. Strengthening the Quadripartite alliance (WHO, FAO, WOAH and UNEP) and investing in grassroots, One Health Surveillance are essential steps.
To safeguard global health, nations must move beyond reactive healthcare to proactive planetary health management. Strengthening the Quadripartite alliance (WHO, FAO, WOAH and UNEP) and investing in grassroots, One Health Surveillance are essential steps.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could link conclusion to sustainable development (e.g., SDG 3—Good Health and Well-being, SDG 15—Life on Land) to broaden relevance and underscore interconnected goals.
You demonstrated solid conceptual understanding and institutional awareness (Quadripartite alliance). However, Hantavirus-specific challenges and concrete One Health examples (India's National One Health Mission, PREDICT Project) were missing, which were critical to the question's demands. Incorporate specific case studies and avoid generic points like AMR in viral contexts.
Demand of the Question
- Challenges posed by zoonotic diseases to global public health
- Examine the importance of One Health Approach in preventing future pandemics
What you wrote:
Zoonotic disease - infections transmitted from animals to humans - account for over 60% of known infectious diseases and 75% of the emerging ones. The recent emergence of Hantavirus typically spread via rodent vectors, underscores the fragile interface between human civilization and the natural world.
Zoonotic disease - infections transmitted from animals to humans - account for over 60% of known infectious diseases and 75% of the emerging ones. The recent emergence of Hantavirus typically spread via rodent vectors, underscores the fragile interface between human civilization and the natural world.
Suggestions to improve:
- Could briefly define "spillover events" or "zoonotic transmission pathways" upfront (e.g., direct contact, vector-borne, foodborne) to provide conceptual clarity before diving into challenges.
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