What is One Health Concept? – Free PDF Download

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One Health concept is being recognized as an effective way to fight health issues at the human-animal-environment interface, including zoonotic diseases.

‘One Health’ was proposed as a concept to foster such interdisciplinary collaboration. It is adopted by the international agencies charged with control of zoonoses (diseases that can spread between animals and humans, such as flu, rabies etc).

The father of modern pathology, Rudolf Virchow, emphasised in 1856 that there are essentially no dividing lines between animal and human medicine. This concept is ever more relevant as the world is facing a second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
This approach is referred to as “One Health”, focuses on acknowledging the interconnectedness of animals, humans, and the environment.
It involves a multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral approach to address potential or existing risks that originate at the animal-human-ecosystems interface.
The term ‘One Health’ was first used in 2003–2004. It was associated with the emergence of severe acute respiratory disease (SARS) in early 2003 and subsequently avian influenza H5N1.

This concept is used by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). In India, it is a component under the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Well Being.
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) introduced the term “One World-One Health” in 2007 along with 12 recommendations (the Manhattan Principles) that focused on establishing a more holistic approach to preventing epidemic disease and maintaining ecosystem integrity.

India’s One Health Framework

India established a National Standing Committee on Zoonoses as far back as the 1980s.
Further, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) has launched several schemes to mitigate the prevalence of animal diseases.
In addition, DAHD will soon establish a ‘One Health’ unit within the Ministry.
Additionally, the government is working to revamp programmes that focus on capacity building for veterinarians and upgrading the animal health diagnostic system such as Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD).
Recently, funds were sanctioned for setting up a ‘Centre for One Health’ at Nagpur.

The Wildlife Conservation Society held a conference in New York called One World, One Health. Out of this meeting a series of strategic goals known as the ‘Manhattan Principles’ was derived.

These principles highlight:

links between humans, animals, and the environment,
how these links are integral to understanding disease dynamics,
and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to prevention, education, investment, and policy development.