GENEVA, 27th March, 2023 (WAM) – Recent international health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola outbreaks, and threats of other zoonotic diseases, have highlighted the urgent need for resilient health systems and global action. The Quadripartite organisations, which include the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Health Organisation (WHO), and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), have issued a call for enhanced collaboration and commitment to translate the One Health approach into policy action in all countries.
The Quadripartite leaders urge all countries and key stakeholders to prioritize One Health in the international political agenda, strengthen national One Health policies and plans, accelerate the implementation of One Health plans, build intersectoral One Health workforces, strengthen and sustain prevention of pandemics and health threats at the source, encourage and strengthen One Health scientific knowledge and evidence creation, and increase investment and financing of One Health strategies and plans.
To support countries and governments in putting the One Health approach into practice, the Quadripartite partners are developing an OH JPA implementation guide to be released in 2023. Urgent action is needed to galvanize political commitments, greater investment, and multisectoral collaboration at every level to build a healthier planet.