One Health a practice that offers multidisciplinary values.

In days of uncertainty for the sustainability of our planet, it becomes urgent to embrace practices that allow the continuous development of a more inclusive, healthier and more conscious society. One Health emerges as an integrated and unifying approach that recognizes the interconnection between human health, animal health and environmental health, thus proposing itself as the path forward towards more sustainable planetary and community development.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), One Health should be understood as “a holistic vision to address complex challenges that threaten human and animal health, food security, poverty and the environments where diseases thrive.” By promoting close multidisciplinary cooperation between human, animal and environmental health professionals, significant added value emerges in multiple dimensions, namely in terms of human health, animal health, economy, society, environment and culture.

With the adoption of public management policies that promote One Health, the safety and well-being of everyone is ensured at different levels, namely:

1. Disease Prevention

With the recognition that human health is closely linked to the health of animals and the environment, the growing threat of zoonotic diseases (diseases transmitted between animals and humans, such as bird flu, COVID-19, Ebola, among others) is controlled with the early detection of threats and diseases due to the implementation of a timely and effective biosecurity response.

2. Improving the Health System for Humans and Animals

Currently, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest global public health challenges. According to the European Commission, AMR is responsible for more than 35,000 deaths per year in the European Union and it is estimated that around 70% of cases of infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria are associated with healthcare. By promoting the reduction of excessive use of antibiotics, it facilitates the improvement of the animal and human health system, considering the needs of both parties, and allowing the development of a more sustainable health system that preserves the efficiency of medicines.

3. Food Safety

According to the 2022 European Union One Health Report on Zoonoses, between 2021 and 2022, there was an increase in foodborne outbreaks in the EU by around 44%. By ensuring that the production and distribution chain of foods of animal origin is healthy and sustainable, we can see increased control over the transmission of animal diseases to humans, such as Salmonella and Listeria. Allowing not only to reduce the risk of disease due to contamination for humans, but also to reduce the risk of disease for animals involved in the human food chain.

4. Environmental Protection and Sustainability

By promoting the management of natural resources and sustainable interaction between humans and the environment, there is a reduction in environmental degradation, forest deforestation and climate change. Furthermore, with the conservation of biodiversity and protection of ecosystems, there is also a reduction in the current increase in the risk of emerging diseases, many of which are zoonotic. According to the UN, 75% of emerging diseases are of zoonotic origin, which, according to a study in the journal BMJ Global Health, is associated with climate change.

5. More Knowledge and Competence

Being One Health, a holistic and collaborative approach between sectors (human health, veterinary, agriculture and environment), a greater quality and quantity of information is developed that allows the improvement of knowledge and skills that facilitate the adoption of more efficient responses. effective in global health crises.

6. Increased Economic Efficiency

By integrating human, animal and environmental health, there is an increase in disease prevention and coordinated use of resources between different sectors, which implies a reduction in costs associated with health treatments and crisis management, whether in human health, animal or environmental. Furthermore, this integration between human, animal and environmental health gives rise to a focus on research and investment based on interdependence between sectors.

7. Improved Wellbeing

By promoting well-being through the integration of human, animal and environmental health, we will be able to live in healthier environments with less exposure to zoonotic diseases, preserve ecosystems, improve food security, reduce the use of antimicrobials, adopt more sustainable practices and a harmonious interaction between humans, animals and the environment, thus generating a better quality of life with more health for everyone involved.

8. Social and Cultural Benefits

With the growing multidisciplinary need for more sustainable development, professional opportunities are created in areas such as public health, veterinary and environment, stimulating the development of interdisciplinary careers. Furthermore, the incentive for greater individual responsibility for collective and environmental health contributed to the reduction of poverty and inequalities in access to health care and food security. Decision-making based on scientific evidence creates fairer and more effective public policies, promoting social cohesion by holding local communities responsible for preserving health and natural resources.

These advantages/added values ​​demonstrate the importance of adopting an integrated and cooperative perspective based on One Health to face global public health challenges and promote the well-being of all forms of life on the planet. Due to these and other benefits, several measures and recommendations have been adopted within the European Union and the United Kingdom, which are positioning themselves as important actors in promoting global health, sustainability and interconnection between people and animals.