Govt constitutes Empowered Committee for Animal Health (ECAH)

Pashu Sandesh, 26 May 2021

The government of India has constituted an Empowered Committee for Animal Health (ECAH) for policy inputs on Veterinary Vaccines/Biologicals and Drugs. In an office memorandum dated 25th May Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying GOI the ECAH was constituted. It was felt for some time that there is a need to streamline the process of regulatory approval for veterinary ( livestock and poultry) products for an efficient, robust and transparent mechanism that would help to create a global manufacturing hub as well as promote research and development specially focussed on priority animal diseases. 

The ECAH would have Principal Scientific advisor, GOI as the Chairman, Secretaries from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Agricultural research, Health Research, Commissioner Animal Husbandry, Drug Controller General of India, DG ICAR, DG ICMR, President VCI, among other senior members.

The Committee shall provide policy inputs on health programs, capacity building of infrastructures, asses threats of emerging diseases, disease control and review the ongoing programs under livestock health. It will submit recommendations on submissions of veterinary vaccines and drugs.