The Genesis and Principles of One Health
One Health evolved from the concept of One Medicine and focuses on health and ecosystems to achieve global public health for humans, healthy animals, and a stable and sustainable environment (Thoen et al.
2016). Health experts from around the world met in September 2004 for a symposium organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society of New York, hosted by The Rockefeller University, USA, that focused on the potential spread of diseases between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife populations, to address these issues. Using case studies on Ebola, avian influenza, and chronic wasting disease as examples, the assembled experts and panelists delineated priorities for an international, interdisciplinary approach for combating threats to global health. Thereafter, veterinarians, physicians, public health experts, sociologists, and epidemiologists globally supported the concept of One Health, which they believed would promote surveillance and enhance the prevention, control, and eradication of zoonotic diseases. The vision of One Health therefore is “dedicated to improving the lives of all species—human and animal— through the integration of human and veterinary medicine.” Furthermore, “Recognizing that human and animal health are inextricably linked, One Health seeks to promote, improve, and defend the health and well-being of all species by enhancing cooperation and collaboration between physicians and veterinarians by promoting strengths in leadership and management to achieve these goals.”The importance of One Health is palpable from the benefits derived in public health through positive interventions on animal diseases (Roth et al. 2003; Zinsstag et al. 2009) by joint healthcare services (Thoen et al. 2016), as well as positive outcomes observed by joint disease surveillance (Mazet et al. 2009). Since most countries in Africa are burdened with a high prevalence of BTB (Gibson et al. 2004), a practical way forward, and to reduce the human burden of the disease, is to embrace and incorporate the One Health approach to help prevent and control human infections with M. bovis, for which cattle serve as its natural host.
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