Adopting a One Health approach is critical to not only prevent outbreaks of zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases, but to also address other urgent environmental issues including antimicrobial resistance.
Antimicrobial resistance is a global health concern with 1.27 million deaths in 2019 directly attributed to antimicrobial resistance and it may become the leading cause of deaths globally by 2050. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microbes like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites develop the ability to defeat the drugs used to kill them, thus rendering many diseases untreatable or difficult to treat. Although antimicrobial resistance occurs naturally, it is facilitated by the irresponsible and excessive use of antimicrobials in human health, food-animal production and agriculture, as well as poor waste management. As antimicrobial resistance depends greatly on the interaction between humans, animals and the environment, it is logical to adopt a One Health approach for developing appropriate inter-sectoral collaborative responses to combat antimicrobial resistance to achieve better public health outcomes.
"a healthy city is a resilient city"
"Healthy city is a resilient city," said Dr Tara Singh Bam, Regional Director for Asia Pacific, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union). "Along with stronger policies and effective implementation of tobacco control and disease-specific programmes for NCDs and TB, we need to transition towards One Health approach."
The only way to prevent future epidemics and pandemics is to view human, animal, plant and environmental health as one unit, as is envisaged in the One Health concept. Then again, Global health security and universal health coverage are key to a healthier and safer world. Strengthening the health systems, empowering people and communities, providing universal access to quality health services, and implementing the "One Health" strategy through a multi-sectoral approach will help countries to realize both universal health coverage and global health security, to 'Build the world we want: A healthy future for all'.
Shobha Shukla - CNS (Citizen News Service)
(Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here www.bit.ly/ShobhaShukla)
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