New Delhi: Marking World One Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged nations to adopt a collaborative and integrated approach to combat escalating health challenges that arise from the close interconnection between humans, animals, plants, and the environment.
Dr. Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge of WHO South-East Asia, stressed the importance of strengthening the “One Health” approach to tackle the growing threats of emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the health consequences of climate change.
“The world is facing a surge in infectious diseases, AMR, and climate-related health impacts. These threats are deeply linked across human, animal, and environmental health,” Dr. Boehme said.
She welcomed the recent adoption of the Pandemic Agreement by the World Health Assembly, calling it a landmark step that embeds the One Health concept into global health governance. The creation of the Pandemic Fund, she added, would help channel sustained investments, build capacities, and ensure equitable health protection for vulnerable communities.
Highlighting the efforts of the Quadripartite One Health Alliance—a partnership among the WHO, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and UN Environment Programme (UNEP)—Boehme noted that the alliance’s One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022–2026) provides a clear roadmap for joint international action.
In South-East Asia, several countries—including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste—have already taken significant steps to institutionalize One Health frameworks through inter-ministerial coordination, research, and strategies to address zoonotic diseases and AMR.
“While progress has been made, much more remains to be done,” Dr. Boehme said, calling on governments to enhance One Health governance, adopt multisectoral coordination tools, and leverage financial mechanisms such as the Pandemic Fund.
She concluded with an appeal for unified global participation:
“On World One Health Day, we call on everyone—governments, scientists, farmers, veterinarians, environmentalists, and citizens—to come together to safeguard the health of people, animals, and the planet.”
