Background:
One Health (OH) is an integrative approach addressing health threats at the interface of humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Aimed at achieving public health, animal health, food security, and sustainable ecosystem management commitments, it plays a vital role in mitigating emerging health challenges, exacerbated by the Triple Planetary Crisis.
In October 2022, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health, the Quadripartite - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) - launched the One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA, 2022-2026), a strategic framework fostering multi-sectoral collaboration and comprehensive solutions through six action tracks, aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In order to implement the OH JPA at the national level, an Implementation Guide was released by the Quadripartite in November 2023. The Guide aims to provide guidance and support to the countries interested in the adoption and adaptation of the OH JPA to the country’s needs. This will help countries to strengthen, integrate and develop activities for the implementation of the One Health concept.
The One Health Seminar 2024:
The One Health Seminar for the European Region is an important regional event for convening representatives from the public health, animal health and environmental health sectors in Europe and Central Asia. The Seminar will be organized jointly by FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH (members of the Regional One Health Coordination Mechanism in Europe, ROHCM) under the leadership of WOAH in Europe who serves as Chair of the ROHCM in 2024-25.
This Seminar is organized with the financial support of the European Union and generous contributions from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Republic of Austria.
This Seminar aims to discuss and identify opportunities and best practices for operationalizing of the One Health approach to address health threats originating in the human-animal-environment interface in Europe and Central Asia leveraging on the OH JPA and its Implementation Guide. The event also serves as an opportunity to underscore the central role of the Quadripartite in promoting and coordinating a regional One Health approach.
The Seminar will allow to discuss recommendations for integration of One Health concept into curricula for professionals and agree recommendations to Member States for the One Health sessions at the upcoming 31st Regional Conference of the WOAH in Uzbekistan and at the 74th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Copenhagen where Executive Representatives of Quadripartite in Europe will be invited. The Seminar aligns with the global commitment of the Quadripartite executives to organize regional workshops to accelerate the implementation of the OH JPA and its Implementation Guide.
Under the umbrella of the Regional One Health Coordination Mechanism for Europe, a parallel meeting of the ROHCM Partner Platform will take place. The meeting aims at bringing together partners including regional institutions, donors, academia, collaborating centres, and has the general objective of facilitating the interaction between One Health partners in order to discuss future collaborative actions to support member countries in Europe and Central Asia in advancing the implementation of the One Health concept.
Objectives
1. Advocate for enhanced collaboration and commitment to translate the One Health approach into policy action throughout the region.
2. Raise awareness and understanding of One Health as an approach to address health issues originating in the human-animal-environment interface and facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity-building.
2.1. Review examples and share best practices for operationalizing the One Health approach across countries in Europe and Central Asia. 2.2. Provide updates on recent strategic developments at the global and regional levels including the AMR Roadmap, Budapest Declaration, Global Biodiversity Framework and One Health Joint Plan of Action and Implementation Guide.
3. Explore and identify opportunities for strengthening cross-border collaboration to operationalize the One Health approach (e.g., cross-sectoral surveillance based on collaboration, data sharing, knowledge exchange and dissemination).
4. Provide inputs for Member States, Quadripartite organizations, and partners for embedding the One Health approach into relevant priority areas of work and resources mobilization across sectors.
5. Emphasize the importance of integrating the One Health concept into the curricula for professionals and encourage national authorities to develop activities to implement it and to strengthen collaborative and coordinated efforts among professionals in human health, animal health, and environmental sectors.
Targeted audience and expected participants:
1. Quadripartite partners (FAO, UNEP, WHO, WOAH) from global, regional, and country levels.
2. Representatives from Member States in Europe and Central Asia: namely, representatives of competent authorities for public health, animal health, and environmental protection. This may include the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, and Food Safety Agencies or others when and where relevant.
3. Regional and sub-regional organizations, institutions, collaborating centers, reference laboratories, relevant stakeholders.
