One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. One Health is a worldwide strategy for advancing health in humans, animals, and the environment through communication and collaboration between multiple disciplines, with the realization that human, animal, and environmental health are all connected. One Health sits at the interface between human, animal, and ecosystem health. As such, it is a fast-evolving subject area well suited to preparing professionals looking to tackle the wide range of intractable and highly complex health challenges of the 21st century.
- Mission statement
Recognizing that human health (including mental health via the human-animal bond phenomenon), animal health, and ecosystem health are inextricably linked, One Health seeks to promote, improve, and defend the health and well-being of all species by enhancing cooperation and collaboration between physicians, veterinarians, and other scientific health and environmental professionals and by promoting strengths in leadership and management to achieve these goals.
- Vision statement
One Health (formerly called One Medicine) is dedicated to improving the lives of all species—human and animal—through the integration of human medicine, veterinary medicine, and environmental science.
- One Health shall be achieved through
- Joint educational efforts between human medical and veterinary medical schools and schools of public health and the environment;
- Joint communication efforts in journals, at conferences, and via allied health networks;
- Joint efforts in clinical care through the assessment, treatment, and prevention of cross-species disease transmission;
- Joint cross-species disease surveillance and control efforts in public health;
- Joint efforts in better understanding cross-species disease transmission through comparative medicine and environmental research;
- Joint efforts in the development and evaluation of new diagnostic methods, medicines, and vaccines for the prevention and control of diseases across species;
- Joint efforts to inform and educate political leaders and the public sector through accurate media publications
- One Health Day
International One Health Day is officially celebrated around the world every year on November 3. One Health Day provides an opportunity for experts and the community to join together in One Health education and awareness. Communication, coordination, and collaboration among partners working in animal, human, and environmental health, as well as other relevant areas, are essential parts of the One Health approach. Working together allows us to have the biggest impact on improving health for people, animals, plants, and our shared environment.
