The concept of One Health is not new, but it has become more important in recent years. The approach – focusing on the connection between the health of people, animals and ecosystems – is here to stay, as we see a rise in zoonotic diseases (including COVID-19, avian influenza and mpox) in the WHO European Region. So what should we know about One Health? And how is WHO/Europe supporting countries across Europe and central Asia to put One Health into practice?
Here are 5 things to know about One Health in the WHO European Region.
1. The health of humans, animals and ecosystems is closely interlinked.
Globally, 6 out of 10 emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals – wild and domestic. Over 30 new human pathogens have been detected in the last 3 decades, 75% of which have originated in animals.
This connection between animal and human health will continue to tighten as human populations grow and expand into new areas, living in closer contact with animals; changes in climate and land use fan the spread of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases; and diseases spread faster as global trade and travel expand.
One Health recognizes this close connection between people, animals and our environment, and provides an integrated, unifying approach so that health threats can be addressed holistically, with experts from multiple sectors – from veterinarians, doctors, epidemiologists, public health practitioners to wildlife experts – working together. This can then lead, for example, to new surveillance and disease control methods.
2. One Health applies to a range of issues – from zoonoti