One Health can provide a safe, 'no judgment zone' for many needed conversations surrounding our most difficult global and environmental health challenges.
This is a webpage where many items can be shared, from peer reviewed scientific case studies to examples of One Health successes (or missed opportunities) to Op Eds and Opinion Pieces.
Opinions expressed here are not necessarily approved by the One Health Commission but are shared ‘because’ this is a safe, no judgement zone and we need to hear from many perspectives on many of today’s challenges. Thoughtful articles written in a professional tone will be considered for posting. Submit suggested items to ohc@onehealthcommission.org.
See digital One Health stories in a Virtual One Health Exhibition shared by researchers from the Center for International Health CIHLMU and the European University Alliance for Global Health.
To see peer reviewed scientific articles visit the Commission's online One Health Library Journal Articles/White Papers Section.
SciTech Europa explores how the One Health Initiative has pioneered a cross-species approach to healthcare.
The One Health approach encompasses a range of programmes, policies, legislation and research which enable improved communication and health outcomes across healthcare for animals, humans and the environment. Forging professional bonds between physicians, veterinarians, dentists, nurses and other scientific and health- and environment-related disciplines, One Health has become pertinent in key issues such as food safety, the control of zoonoses, and the battle against antibiotic resistance.
By synergising disciplines, it is anticipated that the outcome will lead to advances for health care beyond the 21st century – accelerating biomedical research, improving public health efficacy, building on the scientific knowledge base, whilst increasing the standard of medical education and clinical care offered.
Commentary by Seifman R, Journal of Health Care Finance, Summer 2018
See three main reasons why the One Health fundamental linkages between human, animal, plant and environmental health are in the literature, known by scientists, by professional practitioners, and by policy makers—but gain no or little traction.
“He who has the gold makes the rules” ..... In the case of One Health, complementing external and some internal pressure, the evidence, the arguments, and the policies must be formed to convince to the Minister of Finance to take the lead in budgetary action. He or she needs to provide the impetus and resource window so that multiple sectors move in concert toward One Health solutions. It should not be a one-off, “mission accomplished” budget line item exercise, but rather, regular monitoring of the process, rewarding performance, and sustained interest in progress. An initial step that is not hugely resource draining is to provide incremental funding support for rapid information sharing among the various government ministries and non-governmental partners. It would be a win-win for all sectors and a beachhead to go much further.
The environment is the most dynamic and consequently the most confounding sector of the One Health triad as evident from the examples of antibiotic resistance and climate change.....Aligning One Health with climate change could entrench the environmental sector in the One Health triad. The inextricable links between human, animal, and environmental health necessitate a systems approach to One Health. This approach acknowledges that health and disease occur within complex molecular, biological, ecological, economic, social, policy, and political systems. The approach focuses on understanding the functioning of systems, both individually and collectively, in terms of their dynamic relationships, feedback loops, interactions, and dependencies.
Letter to Editor, Richard Seifman (2018) SOJ Vet Sci, 4(2): 1-1. DOI:10.15226/2381-2907/4/2/00152
There is certainty we live in an interdependent world underscoring the need to raise visibility and priority of a One Health approach to cope with potential infectious outbreak threats, recognize the economic consequences, and adequately have policies, and programs to fund preventive and preparedness measures, at the country, regional, and global levels. Next year, when the powerful return to the World Economic Forum, those preparing the agenda need to reserve a place for the in-depth discussion of the economic risks from epidemics and pandemics with a One Health focus.
Disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and Harvey stressed the importance of the human-animal bond aspect during disaster preparedness and recovery. Harris County Veterinary Public Health (HCVPH), a division of the local health department Harris County Public Health, has created an opportunity to address this issue in order to build a healthier, more resilient community in the Houston, Texas area….. The 1st Annual Zoonotic Disease Conference held March 28, 2009 offered 6 continuing education (CE) hours to 88 attendees covering critical and relevant public health and zoonotic disease information…. The 10th annual conference held September 30 – October 1, 2017 changed its name to the One Health Conference, included over 325 attendees from a variety of health professions, and offered CE credits to physicians and nurses for the first time.
Using this creed, researchers from the University of Pretoria and the University of California, Davis, led by Amanda Berrian, DVM MPH, PhD, developed the One Health Training and Leadership (OHTL) program. This program sought to turn 10 residents of the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa into community One Health leaders. These selected individuals underwent professional development to strengthen and broaden their leadership and communication skills. These individuals learned the concepts of inquiry-based learning and how to effectively facilitate a training workshop. Trainees then hosted a workshop series for the broader community where they implemented an experiential One Health curriculum which was developed in response to a 2013 study in which residents shared their knowledge and practices regarding human, animal, and environmental health.
By Tracy Farone, DVM, Professor of Biology Grove City College, Grove City, Pennsylvania
While many “One-Health” courses exist within our veterinary and graduate schools, few programs exist within undergraduate pre-health curricula. Historical reports credit the earlier days of the medical professions with having a minimal gap between the medical and veterinary professions. This minimal gap still exists today within our undergraduate, pre-health programs. We should take this opportunity to connect and educate health professionals at an “early age”, when they are naturally learning together. As undergraduates, these students are excited about integrating new ideas, and their academic schedule may be more accommodating to a variety of classes. Presenting One-Health concepts to students at this stage of their education could have a positive impact on their awareness and attitudes toward public health and zoonotic disease.
