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One Health

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One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP)

The One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) is an interdisciplinary initiative created by FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to improve our understanding of how diseases with the potential to trigger pandemics, emerge and spread.

Area of focus

OHHLEP operates under the One Health Approach, which recognizes the links between the health of people, animals, and the environment and highlights the need for specialists in multiple sectors to address health threats and prevent disruption to agrifood systems.

The OHHLEP advises the Quadripartite. Its two main functions are to:

  • Provide policy relevant scientific assessment on the emergence of health crises arising from the human-animal-ecosystem interface, and research gaps.
  • Guide the development of a long-term strategic approach to reducing risk of zoonotic pandemics, with an associated monitoring and early warning framework, and the synergies needed to institutionalize and implement the One Health approach, including in areas that drive pandemic risk.

OHHLEP advice contributes to enhancing strategic orientations and coordination, and provides political visibility on One Health.

Members
26 international experts from 24 countries were appointed in May 2021 to serve as members on the OHHLEP. The Panel brings together experts who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to One Health and collectively have wide geographic coverage.

Meetings and Working Groups

The Panel meets around five to six times a year in plenary sessions, where all aspects of the different working groups are reviewed to develop a portfolio of key issues, knowledge and evidence gaps. The Panel works on evidence-based recommendations for global, regional, national and local action.

The Thematic Working Groups meet regularly in full or sub-groups and report their outcomes to the panel.

  1. One Health implementation.
  2. Inventory of current knowledge in preventing emerging zoonoses.
  3. Surveillance, early detection and rapid data sharing in the prevention of emerging zoonoses.
  4. Factors causing spillover and subsequent spread of diseases.
Key documents
One Health definitions and principles

This document provides definition and key principles of One Health in several languages.

One Health theory of change

This ToC guides OHHLEP, the Quadripartite and provides a conceptual framework for others working towards similar One Health goals.

One Health High-Level Expert Panel Annual Report 2023

This report summarizes the activities and results achieved in 2023 by the 26 experts of the One Health High-Level Expert Panel.

Prevention of zoonotic spillover

The white paper calls for enhanced prevention of zoonotic spillover within the triad of pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.