Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (MP) based Indian Council of Agricultural Research -National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR–NIHSAD) was designated as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility (RHF) by the Paris (France) based World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and Rome (Italy) based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN).
- This recognition was announced during the 92nd General Session of WOAH held from May 25–29, 2025 in Paris marking a significant milestone for India in the field of global animal health and biosecurity.
- The certificate was presented to Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD) and India’s WOAH delegate by WOAH Director General (DG) Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran and President Susana Pombo.
Key Points:
i.The Category A designation authorizes secure storage of all types of rinderpest virus-containing materials (excluding vaccine stocks) in compliance with WOAH-FAO guidelines.
ii.This approval places India among an elite group of six global facilities entrusted with the secure custody of rinderpest virus-containing materials (RVCM).
The other five facilities recognized as Category A RHFs are:
- Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), Montpellier, France
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), Kodaira, Japan
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), Tsukuba, Japan
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, United Kingdom(UK)
- Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), Weybridge, UK.
About Rinderpest Virus:
i.Rinderpest, once known as “cattle plague,” was among the most destructive livestock diseases in history until its global eradication in 2011.
ii.Despite eradication, Rinderpest Virus-Containing Material (RVCM) still exists in limited laboratories worldwide. To prevent any future outbreaks, WOAH and FAO have restricted the storage of RVCM to a small number of high-security labs.
Key Developments in India’s RVCM Repository:
i.2012: India designated ICAR-NIHSAD, a high-containment Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) facility and WOAH reference laboratory for avian influenza, as its national RVCM repository.
ii.2019: India formally applied for RHF status.
iii.March 2025: Joint FAO-WOAH inspectors evaluated the facility’s biosafety protocols, inventory management, and emergency preparedness. The facility was granted Category A RHF status for one year.
iv.Global Leadership: Reinforces India’s role in the One Health framework, integrating human, animal, and environmental health.
v.Future Goals: WOAH/FAO recommended India pursue Category B status (focused on vaccine development) by enhancing work on vaccine seed material .
About ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD):
NIHSAD, an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institute established in 2014, is India’s premier centre for researching exotic and emerging animal diseases, operating a high-level bio-containment lab since 1998.
Director – Dr. Aniket Sanyal
Headquarters – Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (MP)
About World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH):
President – Dr Susana Pombo
Director General – Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran
Headquarters – Paris, France
Established – 1924
