“One Health High-Level Expert Panel” – A WHO panel to investigate zoonotic diseases

What is the News?

The World Health Organization(WHO) has formed a One Health High-Level Expert Panel.

About One Health High-Level Expert Panel:

• Purpose: The panel has been formed to study the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases. Such as H5N1, avian influenza, MERS, Ebola, Zika and possibly the novel coronavirus disease(COVID-19).
• Mandate of the Panel:
  • Firstly, to consider the impact of human activity on the environment and wildlife habitats.
  • Secondly, to analyse the factors that lead to transmission of a disease from animal to human and vice versa
  • Thirdly, to develop risk assessment and surveillance frameworks;
  • Fourthly, to identify capacity gaps as well as agreement on good practices that help to prevent and prepare for zoonotic outbreaks.
• Approach: The panel will operate under the One Health Approach. This approach recognizes the links between the health of people, animals, and the environment.
• Advisory Role: The panel will advise four global agencies on how future outbreaks especially due to zoonotic diseases can be averted. These four organisations are:
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
  • World Health Organization(WHO)
  • World Organisation for Animal Health(OIE) and
  • United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP).

What is One Health Approach?

• It is an approach that recognizes that the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems as interconnected one.
• Hence, it involves applying a coordinated and multidisciplinary approach at the local, regional, national and global levels. It will address potential or existing risks that originate at the animal-human ecosystems interface.

What are Zoonotic Diseases?

• Zoonosis is an infectious disease that spreads from non-human to humans.
• Zoonotic pathogens may be bacterial, viral, or parasitic. They can spread to humans through direct contact or through food, water, and the environment.
• Three of every four infectious diseases are caused by zoonosis. Moreover, scientists across the world suspect COVID-19 is also a zoonosis disease.

Source: Down To Earth