One Health is an approach that aims to sustainably optimize the health and well-being of humans, animals and the environment. Human health, the health of domestic and wild animals, plant health and the health of broader environmental aspects (including ecosystems) are intertwined.
The One Health name reflects the importance of unified governance, communication, collaboration and coordination to tackle interconnected and interrelated issues.
We apply the One Health approach at various levels, from local communities to global landscapes. It helps to identify and address health challenges that affect a wide array of stakeholders. Taking a One Health approach gives us a fuller understanding of cobenefits, risks, trade-offs and prospects, which can inform more equitable and integrated solutions.
One Health promotes a holistic approach to health systems that reflects the interplay between human, animal and environmental health issues. The approach further emphasizes the importance of cross-sector collaboration to achieve sustainable and balanced health outcomes.
Multiple sectors must communicate and cooperate to improve public health outcomes, and this is especially crucial to address health threats that emerge from the animal–human–environment interface. One Health prioritizes a collective approach to the design and rollout of programmes, formulation of policies and legislation, and conduct of research.
Areas of health most relevant to One Health include:
food safety
control of zoonotic diseases
laboratory services
neglected tropical diseases
environmental health
antimicrobial resistance.
One Health Quadripartite
These complex areas call for close collaboration across sectors, stakeholders and countries. WHO is part of the One Health Quadripartite, along with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Previously the One Health Tripartite, this grew into the Quadripartite in March 2022, when UNEP joined the group.
The 4 entities collaborate to advocate for multisectoral responses to public health threats stemming from the animal–human–environment interface. They also provide technical advice to countries on mitigating such risks.
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