Benefits of one health

• One Health is an integrated approach that recognizes the close connection between human health, animal health, and the environment.
• It promotes multidisciplinary collaboration among veterinarians, medical doctors, environmental scientists, and policymakers.

A. Benefits to Public Health

a. Early Detection and Control of Zoonotic Diseases:

• Helps identify and respond quickly to outbreaks like rabies, avian influenza, COVID-19, anthrax, and brucellosis.

b. Prevention of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR):

• Joint monitoring of antibiotic use in humans, livestock, and aquaculture reduces resistance risks.

c. Improved Food Safety:

• Ensures safe milk, meat, and eggs through integrated health surveillance.

d. Pandemic Preparedness:

• Multisector collaboration strengthens systems to detect and contain future pandemics.

B. Benefits to Animal Health and Production

a. Better Disease Management:

• Coordinated vaccination and biosecurity reduce disease burden in livestock.

b. Improved Welfare:

• Healthier animals with proper housing and nutrition improve welfare outcomes.

c. Enhanced Productivity:

• Reduction in morbidity and mortality increases yield of milk, meat, and eggs.

d. Reduced Economic Losses:

• Lower losses from disease outbreaks support farmers’ livelihoods.

C. Environmental Benefits

a. Control of Environmental Contamination

• Manure and waste management prevent spread of pathogens and drug residues.

b. Biodiversity Conservation

• Monitoring wildlife diseases reduces spillover risks to humans and domestic animals.

c. Climate Change Adaptation

• Integrated health systems help predict and manage climate-driven disease outbreaks.

D. Socio-Economic Benefits

a. Cost-effective Health Interventions

• Joint surveillance and shared resources reduce duplication of efforts.

b. Strengthened Food Security

• Healthy livestock and crops ensure stable supply of nutritious food.

c. Global Trade Opportunities

• Compliance with international health and safety standards opens export markets.

d. Improved Livelihoods

• Farmers and communities benefit from reduced disease costs and higher productivity.

E. Policy and Research Benefits

a. Stronger Health Systems

• Integrates veterinary, human, and environmental health institutions for better governance.

b. Evidence-based Decision Making

• Collaborative research generates comprehensive data for policy formulation.

c. Capacity Building

• Trains professionals across disciplines to work together in health management.