{"id":360248,"date":"2026-04-07T20:16:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T14:46:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=360248"},"modified":"2026-04-07T20:16:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T14:46:23","slug":"reinforcing-the-case-for-a-one-health-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/reinforcing-the-case-for-a-one-health-approach\/","title":{"rendered":"Reinforcing the Case for a One Health Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>UPSC Syllabus: Gs Paper 2- <\/strong>Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector\/Services relating to Health,<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The rising frequency of pandemics shows that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed weak coordination across sectors and nations, while also highlighting the importance of <strong>scientific collaboration and data sharing<\/strong>. Increasing human activities such as land-use change and global travel have accelerated health risks. In this context, the <strong>One Health approach has emerged<\/strong> as a <strong>critical framework<\/strong> to address complex challenges and strengthen global preparedness and response.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Understanding One Health<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Definition and core idea:<\/strong> One Health is an integrated approach that aims to balance the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. It recognises that all these domains are interdependent.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Evolution of the concept:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>The term was first used during the <strong>Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003\u201304.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>It gained momentum with <strong>avian influenza H5N1 and the Manhattan Principles of 2004.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Manhattan Principles (2004) <\/strong>are <strong>12 actionable principles for a &#8220;One World, One Health&#8221; approach<\/strong>, established by the <strong>Wildlife Conservation Society and partners<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Multi-sectoral collaboration:<\/strong> The approach brings together <strong>different sectors, disciplines, and communities<\/strong> to address health challenges.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Full spectrum of disease control:<\/strong> It covers the entire chain from <strong>prevention, detection, preparedness, response, to management of diseases<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wide applicability:<\/strong> It can be applied at <strong>community, national, regional, and global levels<\/strong> through shared governance and coordination.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>What are the Drivers of Emerging Health Threats<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Human-driven ecological changes:<\/strong> Most emerging zoonotic diseases originate due to <strong>changes in ecosystems and land use caused by human activities<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Agricultural and urban expansion:<\/strong> <strong>Intensification of agriculture and urbanisation<\/strong> increases contact between humans and animals, raising disease risks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Global connectivity:<\/strong> <strong>International travel and trade<\/strong> help diseases spread rapidly across countries.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Environmental stress factors:<\/strong> Climate change creates <strong>stress on natural systems<\/strong>, making disease patterns more unpredictable.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sudden emergence of pathogens:<\/strong> New pathogens can appear suddenly and <strong>threaten global stability within a short time<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>Global Recognition and Institutional Frameworks<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Impact of COVID-19 pandemic:<\/strong> The pandemic acted as a turning point by showing the cost of poor coordination and the benefits of global cooperation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Role of scientific collaboration:<\/strong> Sharing of SARS-CoV-2 genetic data and research on human susceptibility helped accelerate vaccine development.<\/li>\n<li><strong>WHO Pandemic Agreement 2025:<\/strong> This legally binding treaty focuses on prevention, preparedness, and response. It promotes equity through pathogen data sharing and fair access to vaccines.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Quadripartite collaboration:<\/strong> <strong>The World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)<\/strong> lead global One Health efforts. They work together to address interconnected health risks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>One Health Joint Plan of Action 2022:<\/strong> This plan provides a coordinated framework for countries to strengthen health systems and manage shared risks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>India\u2019s Response: Institutional and Policy Measures<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>National One Health Mission:<\/strong> India launched this mission to integrate human, animal, and environmental health sectors. It aims to improve surveillance, preparedness, and zoonotic disease control.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Post-COVID policy shift:<\/strong> The government accelerated collaborative approaches to better handle future health crises.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Recognition of climate-linked risks:<\/strong> India has acknowledged the impact of <strong>climate change stressors<\/strong> on natural systems, highlighting the need to address extreme climate events.<\/li>\n<li><strong>State-level initiatives as models:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Odisha Climate Budget:<\/strong> Tracks <strong>climate-resilient development expenditure<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kerala Meenangadi plan:<\/strong> Promotes a <strong>participatory carbon-neutral model<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tamil Nadu initiatives:<\/strong> Includes <strong>Green Climate Company and Cool Roof Project in Chennai<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Challenges in Implementation<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Slow progress despite acceptance:<\/strong> Although widely accepted, <strong>implementation of One Health remains slow<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Conflicts in governance:<\/strong> Conflicts between departments, government agencies, and even nations often hinder coordinated and synchronous action during health crises.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Rapid and unpredictable threats:<\/strong> New pathogens can emerge suddenly and spread rapidly, threatening global stability within a very short time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>International coordination gaps:<\/strong> Conflicts between nations affect <strong>synchronous global action<\/strong> during health crises.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Weak monitoring systems:<\/strong> There is a need for stronger <strong>continuous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Promote scientific collaboration:<\/strong> Policies should rely on <strong>evidence and shared scientific knowledge<\/strong> across countries.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strengthen coordination mechanisms:<\/strong> Better coordination is needed among <strong>sectors, institutions, and nations<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Focus on major risk areas:<\/strong> Attention should be given to <strong>zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food systems, and pollution<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Encourage global dialogue:<\/strong> Platforms like international summits can help <strong>exchange ideas and build cooperation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reform institutional frameworks:<\/strong> Global systems must be <strong>aligned with One Health goals<\/strong> for better outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>One Health provides a <strong>practical and necessary approach<\/strong> in an interconnected world. Health risks are shared across humans, animals, and ecosystems. Strong coordination, scientific cooperation, and integrated policies are essential. This approach supports <strong>public health, economic stability, and environmental balance<\/strong>, making it the most effective path for ensuring global health security.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question for practice:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Examine the significance of the One Health approach in addressing emerging global health threats and the challenges in its effective implementation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/reinforcing-the-case-for-a-one-health-approach\/article70830030.ece#google_vignette\"><strong>The Hindu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UPSC Syllabus: Gs Paper 2- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector\/Services relating to Health, Introduction The rising frequency of pandemics shows that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed weak coordination across sectors and nations, while also highlighting the importance of scientific collaboration and data sharing. Increasing&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/reinforcing-the-case-for-a-one-health-approach\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Reinforcing the Case for a One Health Approach<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230],"tags":[212,8131,10498],"class_list":["post-360248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","tag-gs-paper-2","tag-social-issues","tag-the-hindu","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/360248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=360248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/360248\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=360248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=360248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=360248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}