2024-02-06 07:00:21
It is estimated that at least 60% of infectious human diseases worldwide have an animal origin. But did you know that human health, animal health and ecosystem health are closely linked? This is the thesis of the “One Health” concept which promotes a multidisciplinary and global approach to health issues.
Human health is not an isolated subject
According to the WHO, health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. But it is clear that this definition of health remains solely focused on humans and does not include animal health or environmental health.
Or, nearly 60% of infectious diseases occurring worldwide come from animals wild or domestic. Over the past 30 years, more than 30 new human pathogens have been detected, 75% of which are of animal origin.
I have to say that human health, animal health and environmental health are closely linked : the health of some depends on that of others. Any imbalance in this interdependence therefore risks causing the appearance and spread of new human and animal diseases. Proof of this are the numerous epidemics that have occurred in recent years, such as those caused by the Covid-19, Zika or Ebola viruses.
Furthermore, human activities, urbanization, the increase in the world population and the intensification of transport are all examples of factors weakening ecosystems. As for climate change, it attests to a lasting deterioration of environmental health. This terrain thus favors the emergence of new pathogens in geographical areas hitherto spared.
Read also – The 10 major pathologies linked to the environment
“One Health”: a more global approach to health
In this context, the WHO calls for a approach to optimizing the health of humans, animals and ecosystems by making them coexist, rather than considering them separately. The idea is to understand the health of all living organisms in a given ecosystem. Entitled “One Health”, this comprehensive health approach takes into account the complex and interdependent links that unite them as well as the environmental disturbances generated by human activity.
With this in mind, the “One Health” approach promotes collaboration between stakeholders in public health, animal health and plant and environmental health. Experts in human and social sciences, as well as economists, also provide their contribution to have a global vision of the issues.
Thanks to this multidisciplinary reflection, “One Health” aims to develop new methods of monitoring and combating emerging diseases worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic that occurred in 2020 has indeed caused a clear awareness of the need to put in place a more global and integrated surveillance system.
To know ! Conceived in the 2000s, the “One Health” approach was the subject of a tripartite agreement in 2010 between the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (WHOA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Also read – One Health: preserving human, animal and ecosystem health
“One Health”: concrete applications
The approach “One Health” applies to a wide variety of health and environmental subjects such as food safety, foodborne diseases (salmonellosis, listeriosis), vector-borne diseases (dengue, malaria, zoonoses, water pollution, air pollution etc.)
To know ! Zoonoses refer to infectious diseases caused by germs that spread between animals and humans, such as Ebola, avian flu or rabies.
In France, ANSES, the agency in charge of environmental and food health safety, is already working on numerous themes across our country. The challenge in the years to come will be to strengthen collaboration between different countries in the hope of reducing the risk of future pandemics.
But the challenge promises to be significant because it requires major structural changes to facilitate communication, collaboration and coordination on a global scale. Added to this are gaps in terms of databases, information resources, monitoring and risk prevention. To address these difficulties, the WHO unveiled in October 2022 a Plan d’action in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (WHOA) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Intended for political leaders, this action plan details the infrastructure and financing necessary for the implementation of the “One Health” approach. At the same time, a group of experts will provide scientific advice to these organizations to support them and help them make informed choices in terms of good practices, surveillance systems and prevention of zoonotic risks.
We can bet that in the coming years, the implementation of the “One Health” approach will make it possible to limit the appearance of new diseases and find sustainable solutions to current health and environmental problems!
Read also – Zoonosis: the National Academy of Medicine for better information
Written by Déborah L., January 31, 2024, Doctor in Pharmacy
Sources
– One health. www.who.int. Accessed January 31, 2024.
– One Health: one health for living beings and ecosystems.www.anses.fr. Accessed January 31, 2024.
– “One Health” – One health. sante.gouv.fr. Accessed January 31, 2024.
– Launch of the “One Health” Joint Action Plan to respond to health threats affecting humans, animals, plants and the environment (who.int): www.who.int. Accessed January 31, 2024.
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