Inter‑Sectoral Coordination Tested in Third National Mock Drill

The third national mock drill under the National Forest Health Mission highlighted the importance of synchronising multiple sectors when a zoonotic disease threatens a region. With representatives from animal husbandry, public health, wildlife, food safety, laboratory networks and local governance present, the exercise evaluated how quickly alerts could be issued, how samples could be routed to BSL‑3 labs, and how containment strategies would be implemented. The drill also focused on bio‑security practices, movement restrictions, and clear messaging to the public, ensuring that all stakeholders could act in a unified manner during a real outbreak.