The ‘One Health’ concept (Nalperuvazhvu), which has long been a subject of global discussion, has now begun to take practical shape on the ground through the dedicated efforts of Padma Shri awardee and veteran veterinarian Dr. Punniyamoorthy.
Humans cannot thrive in isolation; the fundamental core of this philosophy is that human well-being is guaranteed only when our surrounding environment, wildlife, and domestic animals are healthy.
Driven by this noble objective, Dr. Punniyamoorthy has been passionately championing this visionary concept of ‘One Health’.
A special brainstorming session and panel discussion were recently organized in Thanjavur around the compelling premise:
“Every medical decision is an ecological decision.”
Dr. Punniyamoorthy’s keynote address focused on core objectives: safeguarding livestock health, restoring soil fertility, avoiding the unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals, and ensuring the production of unadulterated, pure milk.
Grassroots activists and field practitioners from various parts of Tamil Nadu graced the event. As a major outcome of this gathering, a three-month pilot project to take Ethno-Veterinary Medicine (EVM) to rural communities was officially announced.
S. Bharathidasan, Secretary of ‘Arulagam’—an organization pioneering the implementation of EVM under Dr. Punniyamoorthy’s guidance in the Sathyamangalam, Thalavadi, and Mudumalai regions—was invited as a special guest and shared his experience.
During his speech, he highlighted how implementing traditional veterinary medicine on the ground delivered tangible solutions and fostered remarkable trust and positive change among local communities. He strongly emphasized that Ethno-Veterinary Medicine has been instrumental in reducing the use of government-banned non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac, aceclofenac, ketoprofen, and nimesulide to protect critically endangered vultures, while notably providing an effective cure for mastitis in cattle.
He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Habitat Trust for recognizing Arulagam’s project proposal rooted in the ‘One Health Approach’ to conserve vultures and striped hyenas, and for sanctioning a grant of ₹1 crore to execute the initiative over a three-year period.
This gathering served as a landmark beginning, demonstrating that only when traditional medicine aligned with nature works hand-in-hand with ecological conservation can humanity and the entire biosphere attain true ‘One Health’ (Nalperuvazhvu).