Understanding the One Health Approach: A Holistic View of Health

Author: Dr Agatha Ugboma DVM, MVPH, MSc (IPH)

Reviewed by : Dr Azuka Ezeike MBBS, FWACS, FMCOG, MSc(PH)

Introduction

Have you ever thought about how the health of people, animals, and the environment are connected? The One Health approach is based on this idea. It’s a way of thinking that brings different groups together to highlight the path toward healthier communities. [1]  The World Health Organization(WHO) defines it as an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems [2].

We live in a world with fewer boundaries between humans, animals, and the environment, and diseases can jump from animals to humans and cause environmental issues. It is important to understand the interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health. [1]

The One Health approach is important because it has the potential to effectively address global health challenges by preventing zoonotic diseases (diseases that can spread from animals to humans), improving food safety, promoting a sustainable environment, and also addressing antimicrobial resistance. [3] 

The Interconnection of Human, Animal, and Environmental Health

The health of humans, animals, and the environment are deeply connected and inseparable. When one aspect suffers, the others most likely will follow. For example:

• Zoonotic Diseases: Many diseases, like COVID-19, Ebola, and rabies all come from animals. When people cut down forests and move into animal habitats (where animals live),  this forces wildlife and people into closer contact, increasing the chances of these diseases spilling over to humans. [3]

• Environmental Pollution: Polluted water sources such as those contaminated by lead poisoning or oil spills can harm both animals and humans making both seriously sick. When animals get sick, farmers lose their source of income, making it harder to have enough food. If a river is polluted, fish and other aquatic life are poisoned, and this can lead to health problems for people who depend on them for food. [3]

• Food Safety and Security: As food-related illnesses are a serious problem in the world, the One Health approach encourages different sectors to work together to keep our food safe as they travel through many steps from farm to table. It improves systems to spot food-related illnesses and respond to these problems early. Through this joint effort, food safety risks are reduced and people have access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food. [3]

• Drug use in animals: The common use of antibiotics and steroids in animals, to promote growth or prevent disease, can have serious effects. Overuse or misuse of these drugs contributes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), making it harder to treat infections in both humans and animals. By addressing this issue, the One Health approach can help protect the validity of life-saving drugs [4].

These examples show how our health cannot be looked at separately, as one weak link can disrupt the entire chain. it’s all connected.

The Core Principles of One Health

One Health connects professionals from human health, veterinary medicine, and environmental science to work together as a team to identify problems, communicate, and share information effectively. [5] 

By addressing health risks at their source before they develop into major issues, we can save lives and resources. For example; 

• Vaccinating animals against diseases like rabies and brucellosis can prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases to humans.

• Protecting water sources from contamination can preserve the ecosystem, provide safe drinking water, and support public health.

• Monitoring animal health can prevent the spillover of diseases leading to outbreaks in humans. [5][6]

Why One Health is Essential Today

There are so many reasons why the One Health approach is important in our world today, some of which are:

• Rise in Zoonotic Diseases: Approximately one billion cases of illness and millions of deaths occur every year from zoonoses worldwide. [7] 

It is also estimated that 60% of all known human infectious disease agents originate in animals, including Brucella, HIV, Salmonella, and the rabies virus. Most new infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic (e.g., COVID-19, Ebola, and highly pathogenic avian influenza). [8] About 75% of these diseases originated in animals, and 80% of diseases that have bioterrorism potential (can be used to infect humans on purpose) come from animals too, e.g. anthrax and plague. [7-8]

• Climate Change: Changing climate, such as rising weather temperatures, affects both animal habitats and human health.

Warmer temperatures aid the transmission of food, water, and vector-borne diseases (transmitted by insects) by increasing the chances of survival of many microorganisms in the environment. [9] 

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): This has been a growing threat caused by misuse, overuse, and inappropriate use of antibiotics in humans, animals, and agriculture. Where the organisms causing the disease resist antibiotics, making it harder to treat common diseases or carry out life-saving surgeries. [10]

Success Stories of the One Health Approach

The One Health approach has made an impact in various ways. Some of the success stories include:

• Human health officials and veterinarians collaborated during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to monitor animal populations, helping to control the spread of the disease [11].

•  The PREDICT project, for instance, has contributed significantly to the strengthening of global surveillance and laboratory capabilities and has identified over 900 new viruses in wildlife, preventing potential pandemics [12]. 

• In Bangladesh, health sectors collaborated to reduce rabies deaths by vaccinating both humans and dogs [13]. 

These success stories demonstrate how collaboration between different sectors can lead to better outcomes for everyone involved. 

Challenges in Implementing One Health

While the One Health approach has great potential, its implementation faces several hurdles:

• Limited Funding and Resources: Many countries struggle to allocate enough resources for comprehensive health programs that incorporate all three sectors. In many countries, there isn’t enough financial support for the One Health program. Most times, human health gets more attention than animal or environmental issues, making it difficult to justify funding across sectors. For instance, funds allocated for health programs often focus only on human health, neglecting the interconnected needs of animals and ecosystems. [14] 

• Need for Greater Collaboration: Often, different sectors work independently rather than together. This lack of teamwork can cause wasted efforts and missed chances to find better health solutions for everyone.

The sectors have different goals and may find it hard to agree on what’s most important. [14]

• Awareness Gaps: Many policymakers and people don’t fully understand how connected our health systems are and the benefit of merging these sectors. This makes it difficult for them to support One Health initiatives. [14] 

These challenges must be addressed for One Health programs to succeed. This can be achieved through increasing education and outreach efforts to raise awareness about the One Health concept and its importance in preventing health crises. [15] 

Call to Action

To make the One Health approach work for everyone, we need everyone’s help! 

• Individuals can speak up for policies that encourage teamwork between health sectors, like human, animal, and environmental health. Your voice really matters!

• Professionals in health fields should look for chances to work together on projects that benefit all areas of health. Together, more can be achieved.

• Governments must invest in programs that bring these sectors together. Funding combined health initiatives is crucial for a healthier future. [16] [17]

Conclusion

The One Health approach is necessary if we want to solve health problems in our world. By understanding how humans, animals, and the environment are connected, we can better prevent diseases and promote general well-being. 

When individuals, professionals, and governments work together, diseases can be prevented or stopped before they spread.Are there challenges? Sure! Challenges like; not enough funding and awareness gaps (people not knowing about it), but the success stories have shown that working together can lead to improvement. 

Embracing the One Health is moving towards a healthier future for all living beings on our planet.We have no choice but to embrace One Health, as it is our best choice to move towards a healthier and happier future for all living beings on our planet. 

References

1. Geneva Environment Network. One Health [Internet]. Geneva: Geneva Environment Network; 2024 Nov 3 [cited 2024 Nov 27]. Available from: https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/one-health/. 
2. World Health Organization (WHO). One Health. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/one-health#tab=tab_1
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