Celebrating ‘One Health’ progress

• By Vincent Rollet and Armin Ibitz

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A pandemic begins when a virus or bacterium crosses a boundary, whether from a rodent to a flea, from a duck to a farmer or from a tropical forest to a crowded city. Yet we still manage health crises as if human, animal and environmental health were disconnected, with medical institutions on one side, farms on another and the environment somewhere far off. However, every Nov. 3, “One Health Day” invites us to drop that misconception.

The concept of “One Health,” which is back at the center of the debate today, defends an idea that is far from new, but that many have simply forgotten: Human, animal and environmental health are part of a single and interdependent system.

An estimated 75 percent of (re-)emerging infectious diseases originate in animals, according to the WHO. The connection also shows up elsewhere. The overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming contributes to antimicrobial resistance, allowing resistant bacteria to spread to humans and making infections increasingly difficult to treat.

Anthropogenic climate change is reshaping conditions in which pathogens thrive, but also the geographical areas where they can spread. A good example of this is the rapid spread of mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus further north due to climate warming. Lastly, plastic pollution that enters the marine food chain exposes humans to micro and nanoplastics associated with chemicals through seafood with potential negative health effects.

The One Health approach means that health, agriculture and environmental authorities share data, assess risks jointly and act upstream, before a problem escalates into an emergency. The anthropocentrism deeply rooted in modern societies places humans at the center of everything and relegates the ecosystem to the background. The One Health concept is a reminder that we do not stand outside this picture; we are an integral part of it.

The issue is increasingly on governments’ agendas worldwide. In April last year, France hosted a “One Health Summit” in Lyon, bringing together governments, international organizations and scientists to turn the One Health concept into concrete political commitments, emphasizing prevention and cooperation across human, animal and environmental health.

Since the early 2010s, Singapore has coordinated its health, environment and food agencies through a dedicated One Health office, and Thailand, Brazil and Ethiopia have followed with their own cross-ministry frameworks to better address health risks across human, animal, and environmental interfaces.

Taiwan is also contributing to this global dynamic. In March last year, the Executive Yuan created a national One Health framework, starting with a cross-ministerial workshop bringing together 60 representatives from the ministries of health and welfare, agriculture and environment, who under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control assessed the current domestic situation and discussed integrated epidemic prevention and response strategies. As a result, and in line with the recommendations of the “Quadripartite Organisations” of the WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), a National One Health Joint Action Plan was published.

That plan focuses on five key areas: emerging zoonotic diseases, endemic and vector-borne diseases, food safety, antimicrobial resistance and the integration of environmental considerations into disease prevention. Each track possesses its own inter-ministry working group, and is backed by a NT$10 billion (US$306.82 million) budget for integrated surveillance, workforce training, public engagement, education and technological innovation.

Presented at an APEC Health Working Group meeting, the plan has since been put into practice through joint exercises. One example is the “Biological Pathogen Disaster Prevention and Rescue Exercise” held in Tainan in August last year, which adopted a One Health approach to bolster cross-sector preparedness and response capacity for emerging zoonotic diseases. It is a welcome sign that the plan is intended to be put into practice rather than simply remain on paper.

This approach is particularly important in Taiwan because many of its current health challenges require coordination across sectors. Dengue transmission is influenced by climate, urban planning and water management, while avian influenza can spread between wild birds, poultry farms and humans. Antimicrobial resistance likewise illustrates the close links between human health, animal husbandry, pharmaceutical use and the environment.

Such challenges usually fall between institutional responsibilities, making coordinated action essential. In such a context, One Health succeeds when a veterinarian’s early warning can trigger preventive measures before a pathogen spreads to humans, while environmental data can help health authorities anticipate outbreaks. Similarly, tackling antimicrobial resistance requires cooperation among healthcare providers, agricultural agencies and environmental experts, while urban planners must also consider the health implications of decisions concerning transport, housing and land use.

Taiwan remains excluded from the WHO, UNEP and FAO despite being a member of the WOAH. A robust and integrated domestic system to address health risks across humans, animals and the environment safeguards the people living here, helps to protect the biodiversity, and shows concretely Taiwan’s contribution to global health security.

One Health is therefore more than a public health policy. It is an invitation to rethink how we live alongside the species and landscapes that sustain us. We have long asked what nature can do for us. One Health asks another question: How can we work together to protect the health of all living beings and the planet we call home?

Vincent Rollet is chair and Armin Ibitz is deputy chair of the Jean Monnet Chair on EU-Asia and One Health established at Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages and cofunded by the EU through its Erasmus+ program. They can be contacted at: jmcoh2629@gmail.com. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the EU.