Launch of One Health Joint Plan of Action to address health threats to humans, animals, plants and environment

Oct 26, 2022
santé et nutrition
Sébastien Bouley

A new One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA) has been launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). This first Joint Plan on One Health aims to create a framework to integrate systems and capabilities so that we can collectively better prevent, predict, detect and respond to health threats. This initiative aims to improve the health of humans, animals, plants and the environment, while contributing to sustainable development.

One Health is an integrated approach that recognizes that the health of people, domestic and wild animals, plants and ecosystems are closely linked and interdependent. Collaboration across disciplines and sectors can address the complex health challenges facing our society, such as ecosystem degradation, food system failures, infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. The quadripartite organization bringing together the 4 entities has developed a One Health action plan to prevent future pandemics and promote sustainable health. The One Health five-year plan from 2022 to 2026 focuses on supporting and building capacity in six areas (see the action tracks below).

This technical document is based on evidence, best practices and existing guidelines. It covers 6 action tracks that strive to advance One Health at global, regional and national levels:

  • Action track 1: Enhancing One Health capacities to strengthen health systems,
  • Action track 2: Reducing the risks from emerging and re-emerging zoonotic epidemics and pandemics,
  • Action track 3: Controlling and eliminating endemic zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases,
  • Action track 4: Strengthening the assessment, management and communication of food safety risks,
  • Action track 5: Curbing the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance,
  • Action track 6: Integrating the environment into One Health.
The plan defines operational objectives, including:
  • providing a framework for collective and coordinated action to mainstream the One Health approach at all levels;
  • providing upstream policy and legislative advice and technical assistance to help set national targets and priorities;
  • and promoting multinational, multi-sector, multidisciplinary collaboration, learning and exchange of knowledge, solutions and technologies.

It also fosters the values of cooperation and shared responsibility, multisectoral action and partnership, gender equity, and inclusiveness.

To know more, you can consult the presentation of One Health and the technical document about the new OH JPA.

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