New Delhi, Dec 17 : India needs a robust One Health approach and effective measures to combat future pandemics, said Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICDR) & Secretary, Department of Health Research (DHR).

He said this while speaking at VIROCON 2025, a three-day international conference organised recently by the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, in collaboration with the NIV Research Foundation and the Indian Virological Society (IVS).

The event, themed â??Changing Landscapes in Human, Animal and Plant Viruses: Bridging Basic Science, Innovation and Public Health,â?? brought together experts to address emerging viral threats and innovations in virology.

â??VIROCON is a very important meeting where I believe that academia, institutes of national importance, the National Institute of Virology, as well as industry, together deliberate on how to do surveillance and contribute to the development of countermeasures so that we are better prepared for any future outbreak or pandemic,â?? Bahl said.

â??Most pandemics over the past 100 years have been viral and zoonotic in nature, underscoring the need for a coordinated one-health approach,â?? he added, while calling for the development of effective countermeasures for future pandemic preparedness.

VIROCON 2025 saw a strong commitment to advancing viral research, fostering collaboration, and strengthening public health preparedness.

The event focused on emerging viral threats, advances in virological research, and pandemic preparedness.

The conference saw the participation of over 650 delegates, including scientists, clinicians, public health experts, industry partners, and students from India and abroad.

Representatives from four countries -- the US, Canada, Thailand, and India-- attended the event, along with delegates from premier Indian institutions such as IISc, IISERs, IITs, Central Universities, ICAR, ICMR, DRDO, DBT, CSIR, and several State Universities.

Scientific sessions were held across three major tracks: One Health and pandemic preparedness, development of countermeasures, and fundamental virology, with 13 keynote lectures, 44 lead talks, 154 oral presentations, and 251 posters.

Prestigious recognitions, including the IVS Oration Awards 2025 and IVS Young Scientist Awards, were presented, along with VIROCON 2025 oral and poster awards.

/IANS