Synopsis (short abstract)Human, animal, plant and environmental health are intimately connected through the ecological realities governing life. Our health depends on the health of the environment, which provides us, at a minimum, with the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink. With rapid population growth, as well as globalization and environmental degradation, health threats have become more complex. Solutions cannot be found by one sector alone. The problems affecting human health, terrestrial and aquatic animals, plants, and the environment can be effectively resolved only through improved coordination, communication and collaborative actions across disciplines and sectors, and that these are sustainable solutions. This has come to be called the One Health approach.
To date, One Health has primarily engaged the public health sector and veterinary services and largely focused on addressing zoonotic diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, food safety, and an occasional focus on emerging infectious diseases. One Health has yet to properly engage the Ministries responsible for wildlife, biodiversity, ecosystems, natural resource management and the environment. One Health programming has yet to be applied to protecting or restoring biodiversity and ecosystems from anthropogenic drivers of degradation known to contribute to the emergence of zoonotic pathogens, and transmission of diseases among wildlife and livestock. It is these upstream interventions that are also needed to prevent spillover events and mitigate health threats.
This paper provides an overview on One Health, technical areas where One Health is being applied, and current gaps in One Health programming. FAO has long-standing experience in supporting Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock and national veterinary services in the region.
Statutory body / Meeting title FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC)