Twenty-three agencies representing eight federal departments have developed the first-ever National One Health Framework.
According to a government report, “The One Health approach applies across local, regional, national and global levels and involves multisectoral coordination and transdisciplinary collaboration of experts across human, animal, plant, environment and other relevant sectors.”
Guiding principles for the framework include:
- Health equity: A state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain the highest level of health. Health equity requires addressing injustices, overcoming health and health care obstacles, and abolishing preventable health differences adversely affecting disadvantaged groups.
- Sustainability: Creating and maintaining conditions that allow humans, animals and the environment to exist in productive harmony.
- Stewardship: Humans must adopt practices that promote animal health and welfare while preserving the integrity of the entire ecosystem. These actions are essential for ensuring the well-being of current and future generations.
- Multisectoral and transdisciplinary collaboration: All relevant sectors and disciplines, including federal partners, will be involved in implementing the One Health approach to tackle zoonotic diseases and other key priorities.
The vision for the framework is: “A prepared nation where people, animals (domestic and wildlife) and the environment are protected from zoonotic disease threats by a proactive, coordinated and collaborative system using the One Health approach.”
The framework’s goals include:
- Establishing a coordination unit to provide a common platform and governance structure to address One Health needs.
- Identifying methods to prevent, respond to and control zoonotic diseases.
- Strengthening collaborations for preparedness.
- Strengthening the approach to coordinate zoonotic disease outbreak investigation, response and recovery.
- Improving coordinated surveillance and information sharing for zoonotic diseases.
- Improving laboratory capabilities for detecting priority, endemic, emerging and reemerging zoonotic diseases.
- Supporting and expanding the development of a qualified, diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce to address zoonotic disease threats.
By 2029, the participating agencies will decide whether to continue working on the One Health framework or update the goals and objectives.