About One Health
The health of humans, animals and the environment is interdependent and intrinsically linked.
So, we must tackle all health challenges as a holistic issue, when working to prevent, detect, prepare, manage and respond to them.
Safeguarding Australia from health threats centres on:
- strengthening the connection and collaboration between the human, environment and animal health sectors
- comprehensively considering the health of all species and their environments.
One Health takes ‘an integrated, unifying approach to tackling health challenges that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems’.
It does this by building stakeholder capacity through collaboration, coordination and effective national communication to achieve One Health outcomes.
One Health is not a new concept, but it has become more important as the pressure on global ecosystems increases due to:
- human population growth
- increased international travel
- increased illegal animal trade
- urbanisation and human encroachment into natural areas
- habitat destruction leading to biodiversity loss
- environmental pollution
- the effects of climate change.
Impact
About 60% of emerging infectious diseases reported globally can transfer from animals to humans (zoonoses). Additionally, the transmission of diseases from humans to animals (known as reverse zoonosis) is also now more common.
Of the 30 new human pathogens detected in the past 3 decades, 3 in 4 started in animals, including:
- COVID-19
- H5 avian influenza (bird flu)
- Japanese encephalitis virus
- rabies
- salmonella
- Buruli ulcer
- Hendra virus.
Taking a One Health approach helps us:
- identify potential and emerging zoonoses sooner
- reduce their impacts to human–animal–environmental health and national economies
- improve food safety and security
- protect biodiversity and the world’s ecosystems.
Role of the CDC
We are expanding Australia’s ability to implement a One Health approach, with a focus on:
- collaboration – by improving collaboration between different sectors, to address complex health issues such as zoonoses control and antimicrobial resistance
- capacity building – by building on lessons from the experiences of recent outbreak responses in Australia, including Japanese encephalitis virus and mpox
- coordination – by working with other organisations to better identify emerging threats and deliver faster and more effective responses
- communication – by engaging with our partners to identify, develop and deliver relevant One Health messages for our stakeholders and the Australian public.
Our work includes:
- identifying steps to improve One Health capabilities and activities, including enhanced surveillance and greater availability and sharing of data
- supporting horizon scanning for new and emerging human health threats.
- establishing and maintaining clear, practical partnerships with other agencies to ensure a coordinated approach.
Who we work with
Our key One Health partners include:
- other Australian Government agencies, including the
- state and territory governments
- First Nations organisations
- Wildlife Health Australia
- CSIRO
- peak bodies
- the research sector
- other One Health agencies.
Learn more
For more information, see:
- the World Health Organization’s One health joint plan of action (2022‒2026)
- One Health collaboration counters the threat of zoonotic diseases
- Understanding the interim CDC’s One Health approach
- One Health Day 2024 – Understanding the connection between human, animal and environmental health
- Showcasing the wonders of One Health.
Related topics
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