Urgent Call for Global Action to Prevent Future Pandemics Through One Health Approach

The world is increasingly threatened by zoonotic diseases—illnesses transmitted from animals to humans—such as Ebola, avian influenza, COVID-19, and HIV. These health threats highlight the critical interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health. Factors like urbanization, deforestation, climate change, and wildlife exploitation have fueled the rise and spread of these diseases, making them a global concern requiring coordinated international efforts.

Adopting a holistic health perspective, known as One Health, is essential for effective disease prevention and control. This integrated approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health sectors, promoting collaboration across disciplines. The World Health Organization supports this methodology, aiming to strengthen global health security by encouraging proactive measures, early detection, and rapid response.

At the International Livestock Research Institute, efforts focus on managing livestock-related diseases, zoonoses, and food safety issues, especially in underserved communities. Initiatives include vaccination programs, improving hygiene practices in markets, and developing educational curricula on One Health concepts across multiple countries in Africa and Asia.

Significant progress has been made, with collaborations such as the joint One Health plan of action launched by the WHO, FAO, UNEP, and OIE in 2022. These focus on reducing zoonotic disease risks, controlling foodborne illnesses, combating antimicrobial resistance, and enhancing disease surveillance.

Despite these efforts, investment remains insufficient, especially when weighed against the high costs of inaction. According to the World Bank, preventing a pandemic costs about US$11 billion annually, significantly less than managing one, which can reach up to US$31 billion. The Pandemic Fund, established to bolster preparedness in low- and middle-income countries, has allocated nearly US$900 million to a variety of projects, but this amount still falls short of the needed investment.

Global policy advancements include the 2025 adoption of the first international Pandemic Agreement at the WHO, marking a crucial step toward more coordinated global disease prevention. However, lessons learned from COVID-19 underscore that delays in action cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars in economic damage, with over 777 million cases and more than 7 million deaths recorded to date.

To prevent future health crises, urgent, increased investments and operational changes are necessary. Strengthening cross-sector collaborations and translating research into actionable policies are critical steps. The future of global health security depends on the swift implementation of comprehensive One Health strategies and proactive international cooperation.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-pandemic-health-urgent-action.html