Article, 100th Anniversary

Preserving animal, human and environment health as one 

Animal, human and environment health_Two young Middle Eastern girls writing on paper and a goat peering behind them
Recent outbreaks of COVID-19, Ebola or avian influenza were stark reminders of a reality long known to scientists: major health issues cannot be tackled by doctors or one sector alone. As a member and current chair of the Quadripartite partnership, WOAH takes the lead in a worldwide collaborative effort for One Health, recognising that animal, human and environment health should be treated as one.

“Animal health is our health, it’s everyone’s health” is not just a slogan. It is a scientific reality, long acknowledged by professors of medicine as far back as the 17th and 18th century: animal and human health are interconnected. Zoonoses such as rabies or avian influenza have been a long-time concern for human health, as well as economic and social stability.  

By the end of the 20th century, Lyme disease, Ebola, Mad Cow disease, among others, were major issues that triggered international action. Ebola and other zoonotic diseases can be transmitted from humans to animals, such as great apes. This reverse transmission proves that the connection between animal and human health goes both ways. 

The term “One Health” reached the international stage in 2004 at a symposium organised by the Wildlife Conservation Society, following the 2002 SARS outbreak. Together, experts from around the world wrote the Manhattan Principles on One World, One Health, urging global leaders to “recognise the essential link between human, domestic animal and wildlife health and the threat disease poses to people, their food supplies and economies, and the biodiversity essential to maintaining the healthy environments and functioning ecosystems we all require.”

Bridging gaps between animal, human and environmental health

“In the following years, governments and scientists worldwide came to recognise that transdisciplinary collaboration was essential to prevent and control zoonoses, and that they should include physicians and veterinarians alongside wildlife specialists, environmentalists, anthropologists, economists and sociologists, among others”, recalls Dr Monique Éloit, outgoing Director General of WOAH.  

The concept became a true reference for international policy in October 2008 at the event of the H5N1 global outbreak, when six international organisations (the World Bank, WHO, FAO, UNICEF, WOAH and the UN System Influenza Coordination) convened at the International ministerial conference on avian and pandemic influenza at Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt). They released a joint “Strategic Framework for Reducing Risks of Infectious Diseases at the Animal-Human-Ecosystems Interface”, with a meaningful title: “Contributing to One World, One Health”, with direct reference to the Manhattan principles.  

A visual concept of the One Health approach

From rabies to antimicrobial resistance 

In 2010, FAO, WHO and WOAH published a “Tripartite concept note” known as the Hanoi declaration, where they presented their common vision for “a world capable of preventing, detecting, containing, eliminating, and responding to animal and public health risks attributable to zoonoses and animal diseases with an impact on food security through multi-sectoral cooperation and strong partnerships”. They decided to start by focusing on three areas of work: antimicrobial resistance, avian influenza and rabies.  

In 2017, the updated Tripartite strategy presented enlarged priorities, covering the reinforcement of national health services, the modernisation of early warning and surveillance systems, and the promotion of coordinated research. In 2018, a new Memorandum of Understanding strengthened the partnership on antimicrobial resistance.  

Rabies control: a model for One Health collaboration 

Rabies still kills around 59 000 people every year. Since 99% of the human cases originate from dog bites and scratches, the disease needs to be tackled at its animal source, by implementing large scale dog vaccination and raising awareness. It also needs action from the human health sector, to ensure access to medical care and post-bite treatment, especially in rural areas. 

FAO, WHO, WOAH and the Global Alliance for rabies control are working together toward a common goal: “Zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.” Building a coordinated approach for rabies serves as a model for many other diseases, and offers an opportunity to strengthen health systems worldwide.  

Broadening the scope to environmental drivers  

Although the One Health concept originated in the animal health sector, it had gradually developed as a public health and environment sector policy approach. “The context changed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, at the Paris Peace Forum in late 2020, where world leaders called for the full integration of the environment sector in One Health, specifically calling for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to join the Tripartite”, a UNEP representative recalls Ingar Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, in April 2024.  “We immediately began to work together on key initiatives, and in March 2022, the collaboration was formalised through the establishment of the Quadripartite. This has led to a stronger focus on upstream prevention and to a push to broaden the scope beyond zoonotic disease and antimicrobial resistance to include the environmental drivers of health risks and the health of the environment and ecosystems.” 

The world was slowly coming out of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and still facing monkeypox, Ebola outbreaks, and continued challenges linked to food safety, antimicrobial resistance, ecosystem degradation and climate change. One Health appeared, more than ever, as the main approach for tackling these pressing and complex challenges. The Quadripartite presented a Joint plan of action with six action tracks inclusive of the environment, comprising the strengthening of health systems, controlling zoonotic epidemics and pandemics, food safety, and curbing antimicrobial resistance.  

WOAH takes the lead on cross-sectoral collaboration 

“Moving forward, the objective is to effectively implement One Health activities and foster positive outcomes at the country level”, said WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, when asked to reminisce about the Quadripartite collaboration for One Health over the years. “One example of this is our work […] with the G20 Brazil Secretariat to inject fresh perspectives into the One Health approach within political forums, with a focus on the importance of governance and knowledge sharing.” 

In March 2024, WOAH set to chair the Quadripartite rotating Secretariat for the upcoming year, with a detailed agenda focused on implementation of the One Health Joint Plan of Action, monitoring and evaluation of  the Quadripartite work, global advocacy and leveraging investment for One Health, as well as learning and training coordination. The Organisation is also championing action against zoonotic diseases through a holistic approach. 

As it celebrates its 100th anniversary, WOAH reiterates its strong commitment to animal health: more than ever, our health.  

Have you read?