ONE WORLD, ONE HEALTH: PREVENT ZOONOSES
Dr. Shankar B. P (MVSc, PhD)
Assistant professor
Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAH&VB)
Hebbal Bangalore-560024, Karnataka
Email: drshankarbp@gmail.com
Abstract
Zoonotic diseases have been a major concern for public health due to their ability to cause epidemics and pandemics. These diseases can be transmitted directly or indirectly from animals to humans, posing significant threats to global health security. Understanding the complex interactions between human, animal, and environmental health is crucial in preventing and controlling zoonotic diseases. The One World, One Health approach recognizes the interdependence of these health sectors and emphasizes the need for collaboration and integrated action to address zoonoses. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the One World, One Health concept, highlighting its importance in preventing zoonotic diseases and the challenges that need to be addressed.
Keywords: One World, One Health, Zoonosis
Introduction
The One world, one health approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. It recognizes that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are closely linked and that a holistic approach is needed to address the risks and impacts of zoonotic diseases. This approach involves collaboration between various sectors, including health, agriculture, environment, and wildlife, to develop comprehensive strategies for prevention, detection, and response to zoonotic diseases. Prevention plays a crucial role in the One world, One health approach. This includes measures such as improving animal husbandry practices, promoting vaccination and disease surveillance in animals, and regulating the wildlife trade to minimize the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Early detection and rapid response are also essential in containing outbreaks and preventing their spread. This requires enhanced surveillance systems, diagnostic capacity, and communication networks to enable timely information sharing and collaboration between countries. In addition to prevention, the One world, one health approach emphasizes the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration and knowledge sharing. This includes strengthening interdisciplinary research and capacity-building programs, as well as promoting public awareness and education on zoonotic diseases. By fostering collaboration between human health, veterinary, and environmental sectors, the approach aims to improve understanding of the complex dynamics of zoonotic diseases and develop effective strategies for their control. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the world is interconnected and that diseases can rapidly spread across borders. Adopting a One world, one health approach is essential to prevent and manage future zoonotic disease outbreaks. By recognizing the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health, and by implementing comprehensive prevention strategies, we can reduce the risks and impacts of zoonotic diseases and safeguard global public health. This requires global cooperation, political commitment, and investment in surveillance, research, and infrastructure to build resilient health systems for the future. Only by working together can we truly prevent zoonosis and protect the health and well-being of both humans and animals.
Literature Study
Zoonotic diseases have been a constant threat to human health throughout history. Outbreaks of zoonotic diseases have had devastating consequences, such as the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2016, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These outbreaks serve as reminders of the interconnectedness of human and animal health and the need for a collaborative and integrated approach in disease prevention and control.
The One World, One Health concept emerged in the early 2000s as a response to the increasing recognition of the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. The approach recognizes that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are deeply interconnected and that the health of one sector strongly influences the others. This holistic approach aims to ensure the well-being of all three sectors through collaboration, coordination, and joint action.
A key component of the One World, One Health approach is disease surveillance and monitoring. Early detection and reporting of zoonotic diseases are essential to prevent their spread and minimize their impact. Integrated surveillance systems that involve human and animal health sectors are crucial in detecting and responding to zoonotic disease outbreaks. This requires close collaboration and information sharing between healthcare professionals, veterinarians, and environmental scientists.
Prevention and control strategies for zoonotic diseases involve a One Health approach, which includes vaccination programs, improved sanitation and hygiene practices, vector control, and the implementation of food safety measures. These strategies aim to reduce the risk of transmission of zoonotic pathogens from animals to humans and enhance the resilience of populations to zoonotic disease outbreaks.
Results and Discussion:
The implementation of the One World, One Health approach has shown promising results in various countries. For example, in Kenya, a One Health approach to rabies control has significantly reduced the number of human rabies cases by integrating vaccination programs for both humans and animals. In Thailand, a joint surveillance system for avian influenza has enhanced early detection and response capabilities, reducing the impact of outbreaks on both human and animal populations.
However, there are still several challenges in implementing the One World, One Health approach. One major challenge is the lack of coordination and collaboration between different sectors. In many countries, there is limited interaction between human and animal health professionals, leading to fragmented approaches to disease surveillance and control. This lack of coordination hinders the ability to detect and respond to zoonotic disease outbreaks in a timely and effective manner.
Another challenge is the limited resources allocated to One World, One Health initiatives. Adequate funding and resources are crucial in implementing and sustaining integrated approaches to disease prevention and control. Without sufficient resources, the capacity for disease surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, and response activities is severely limited, undermining the effectiveness of the One World, One Health approach.
Furthermore, there is a need for increased public awareness and education about zoonotic diseases and the importance of the One World, One Health approach. Many individuals are unaware of the risks posed by zoonoses and the steps they can take to prevent them. Public education campaigns should emphasize the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health and promote behaviour changes that reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission.
Conclusion:
The concept of One World, One Health highlights the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health in preventing and controlling zoonotic diseases. Collaborative efforts between experts in human and animal health are crucial in detecting, monitoring, and responding to zoonoses in a timely and effective manner. While there have been successful implementations of the One World, One Health approach in various countries, challenges such as limited coordination, resources, and public awareness still need to be addressed. By addressing these challenges and promoting the One World, One Health approach, we can enhance global health security and prevent future zoonotic disease outbreaks.
References:
1.Grace D, Mutua F, Ochungo P, et al. Mapping of poverty and likely zoonoses hotspots. Zoonoses Project 4. Report to the UK Department for International Development. Nairobi: ILRI; 2012.
2.Rabinowitz PM, Odofin L, Dein FJ. From “one medicine” to “one health” and systemic approaches to health and well-being. Prev Vet Med. 2013;110(2):113-20.
3.World Health Organization. Zoonoses: WHO health topic. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/zoonoses. [Accessed 1 May 2021].
4.World Organisation for Animal Health. One Health. [Online]. Available: https://www.oie.int/en/for-the-media/onehealth. [Accessed 1 May 2021].
5.Zinsstag J, Schelling E, Waltner-Toews D, Tanner M. From “one medicine” to “one health” and systemic approaches to health and well-being. Prev Vet Med. 2011;101(3-4):148-56.
