ONE HEALTH APPROACH:THE NEED OF THE HOUR
One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.It recognizes that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent.
By linking humans, animals and the environment, One Health can help to address the full spectrum of disease control – from prevention to detection, preparedness, response and management – and contribute to global health security.
The approach can be applied at the community, subnational, national, regional and global levels, and relies on shared and effective governance, communication, collaboration and coordination.
More than 75% of emerging infectious diseases and 60% of % of known human infectious diseases are transmitted from animals. Among these zoonoses, rabies is of utmost public health significance due to its lethality.Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease of mammals. Approximately, 55,000 people are reported to die of rabies every year throughout the world .Among zoonotic diseases, rabies is neglected, even though it has huge public health significance. Despite being a preventable disease, impact of rabies is increasing day by day, which is a worrisome issue in developing and developed countries .The multi-faceted nature of zoonotic disease complicates control and prevention and thus, a multi-sectoral One Health Approach could be a better strategy to cope with rabies. Up until now, rabies prevention and control programs are conducted utilizing mass vaccination of domestic and community dogs &cats.Control can be achieved by notification of suspected dogs and destruction of dog,mass immunization of dogs, control of stray dogs, registration of dogs,oral vaccination of wildlife reserviors. Population management of street dog can be done animal birth control techniques such as spaying and neutering.
As we know prevention is better than cure and there is no cure after appearing of clinical sign in human and animals .Therefore ,it is necessary to control the transmission of rabies which not only reduces the post exposure vaccine but also lowers budgetary load for rabies control. For vaccination public awareness is very important for this government time to time organizes awareness camp to inform public RABIES: FACTS, NOT FEAR “, vaccinating the animal population and educating people on the danger of rabies and how to prevent it.
So let’s we should start slogan “one health zero death” become practical through one health approach.
BY-Varsha Singh
*4th year student, College of Vety Science & A.H Anjora, Durg, Chhattisgarh. .
