Learning From the Past: Why One Health is Needed

“...the growing number of countries adopting One Health Strategic Action Plans is of great significance. The One Health Commission provided a useful compilation of currently available information, which shows that 21 countries have adopted such plans, mostly in SouthEast Asia (5 countries, including Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam) and in Africa (15 countries, including Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria).......Lobbying for an international One Health body is proceeding with the support of France and Germany. Other countries actively engaged in this field are Canada, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland.  

But much more needs to be done. Hopefully the good intentions will be followed in deeds reflected in funds for research, policies and programs. And hopefully, the efforts will be sustained…. There is a window of opportunity to avoid failing to learn from our past and to be open to a One Health approach, which, though challenging, will reap untold rewards. Not least among them, it will help us avoid the worst of the next pandemic, most likely to be coming out of the zoonosphere just like COVID-19.”

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