Message from Executive Director
On 3 November annually, the global community comes together to commemorate One Health Day, which highlights the importance of a One Health approach in addressing shared health threats that affect humans, animals and the environment.
One Health is a holistic, integrated and unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and environment. At its core is the recognition that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants and the wider environment, including ecosystems, are closely linked and interdependent. The dynamic nature of infectious diseases at the human–animal–environment interface has been demonstrated repeatedly, with profound impacts on public health. HIV/AIDS, Ebola and COVID-19 are prominent examples of diseases with zoonotic origins or transmission pathways that illustrate the intersection between human and animal health.
HIV/AIDS has had an enormous and sustained impact on morbidity and mortality, particularly in Africa; COVID-19 evolved into a global pandemic with unprecedented health, social and economic consequences; and Ebola outbreaks, including those seen in recent years, have placed substantial pressure on health systems and resulted in high mortality.
In this issue, the team delves deeper into the One Health approach and puts the spotlight on some of the initiatives the NICD has been involved in to raise awareness and strengthen collaboration across sectors.
These stories demonstrate the value of collaboration, knowledge sharing and coordinated action in strengthening our collective ability to protect public health. I invite you to read more about these and other initiatives featured in this issue.
