One Health: together for health – stand with science
Across the world, health is shaped by the connections shared between people, animals, plants and the environment. On World Health Day we highlight how a One Health approach translates into practical action – preventing disease, protecting livelihoods, safeguarding ecosystems and strengthening resilience in the face of climate and environmental change.
Protecting health and improving health security depends on working together across disciplines, borders and generations. As part of the Quadripartite, a collaboration between WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), WHO promotes a shared framework for One Health action, from policy and governance to workforce development and community engagement.
These joint efforts help countries detect hazards earlier, reduce risks, respond faster, and invest in prevention that benefits people and planet alike.
A family work together in their vegetable patch in Tajikistan
One Health – connected systems
A One Health approach recognizes that the health of people, animals and the environment is interdependent. In the WHO European Region, this approach helps countries tackle multiple challenges at once: zoonotic diseases, food safety risks, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and climate- and pollution-related health threats. It brings together public health, veterinary, food safety and environmental sectors to prevent health threats rather than only respond to crises. It supports shared priorities, joint risk assessments and coordinated action across borders. When systems connect, everyone benefits from healthier communities, safer food, more resilient ecosystems and stronger preparedness for emergencies.
A technician detects virus variants in the Netherlands
Health security through joint surveillance
One Health strengthens health security by improving how countries detect and interpret signals from humans, animals and the environment.
WHO/Europe promotes integrated surveillance, joint risk assessments, interoperable laboratories and coordinated outbreak investigations. This helps with zoonoses such as avian influenza or West Nile virus, but also with foodborne hazards, emerging AMR patterns and environmental events that affect health. Coordinated data sharing enables earlier warnings and better targeting of interventions. It also supports International Health Regulations capacities in the European Region, making detection faster, responses more proportionate and communication to the public more consistent.
A woman sells dairy produce in Tajikistan
Food systems and safer nutrition
Safe, sustainable food systems are at the heart of One Health. WHO recommends prevention along the “farm to fork” pathway: safer primary production, hygienic processing, effective regulation and informed consumer practices.
In the European Region, this reduces foodborne infections such as salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis, while also supporting healthier diets and more resilient supply chains. One Health collaboration links veterinarians, food safety authorities, public health laboratories and environmental services to monitor hazards, investigate outbreaks and reduce contamination. It also supports responsible antimicrobial use in food-producing animals, contributing to broader AMR prevention goals.
A farm worker in Sweden administers medication to a sick cow
Tackling AMR across sectors
WHO identifies AMR as a One Health issue because resistance can spread between people, animals, food and the environment.
In the European Region, coordinated action involves the fields of human and veterinary medicine, infection prevention and control, vaccination, and water, sanitation and hygiene systems. Surveillance of antimicrobial use and resistance across sectors helps identify trends and guide policy. Reducing environmental contamination from waste and wastewater can also limit dissemination of resistant bacteria and genes. One Health measures protect the effectiveness of medicines, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the burden of hard-to-treat infections, including resistant foodborne and zoonotic pathogens.
A scientist in Italy examines an Aedes mosquito as part of dengue surveillance
Climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and environmental determinants
One Health links environmental change to health outcomes. The European Region is the world’s fastest warming region, with impacts on heat risk, air quality, water safety, and the distribution of vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks.
WHO/Europe encourages collaboration between health, meteorological, environmental and veterinary sectors to anticipate risks and protect communities. For example, integrated monitoring can support preparedness for the spread of arboviruses such as dengue and West Nile virus, while also guiding broader climate adaptation actions. Protecting biodiversity and ecosystems can help stabilize services that underpin health, including clean water, healthy soils and safer living environments.
A poultry worker in Kazakhstan
Healthy animals, healthy livelihoods
Animal health and welfare are integral to One Health, supporting livelihoods, food security and community well-being.
In the European Region, preventive animal health services – biosecurity, vaccination where appropriate and good husbandry – can reduce production losses and improve food safety. These measures not only lower the risk of zoonoses such as avian influenza, but can also support more stable rural economies, reduced need for antimicrobials and improved resilience to shocks. Strong coordination between veterinary and public health authorities supports safer value chains, better risk communication to farmers and workers, and more sustainable agricultural practices.
A family gathers around a meal in Tajikistan
Increasing One Health literacy
One Health works best when authorities understand and actively support the approach, and when communities take part in putting it into practice. WHO highlights the importance of building this understanding among those implementing One Health through effective communication of risks and advice. This helps turn knowledge into simple, practical actions at community level, such as washing hands after contact with animals, handling food safely, using antibiotics responsibly and reducing exposure to environmental and vector-related risks.
In the European Region, One Health literacy helps people prevent common diseases that pass from animals to humans by taking simple actions, such as avoiding contact with sick or dead wild birds, preventing dog bites and reducing mosquito breeding near homes. Trusted and coordinated messaging across sectors also helps counter false information, encourages people to follow advice during emergencies and strengthens everyday prevention.
Technical experts during Tajikistan’s second Joint External Evaluation, July 2025
Preparedness and coordinated response
A One Health approach strengthens preparedness by aligning plans, roles and resources across sectors before emergencies occur. WHO/Europe promotes joint risk assessment, simulation exercises and interoperable response protocols that support the International Health Regulations. This enables coherent action during events ranging from zoonotic outbreaks (e.g. avian influenza) to food safety incidents, AMR threats and climate-related hazards. Joint investigations clarify sources, pathways and effective controls; coordinated communication improves public understanding and trust. Cross-border collaboration helps countries act consistently on surveillance, laboratory diagnostics and protective measures, supporting resilient health systems and more secure societies across the European Region.