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One Health

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One Health Day - 3 November

With rapid population growth, globalization and environmental degradation, health threats have become more complex. Solutions cannot be found by one sector alone. The One Health approach leverages the idea that problems impacting human health, animals, plants and the environment can be effectively resolved through improved coordination, communication and collaborative actions across disciplines and that these solutions be sustainable.

One Health Day is an international campaign that celebrates the need for a One Health approach to address shared health threats at the human-animal-environment interface. The day is observed on 3 November each year.

The One Health approach recognizes that the health of people, animals, and the environment are interconnected. This means that threats to one can quickly become threats to all. For example, a new zoonotic disease that emerges in animals can quickly spread to humans, and environmental degradation can lead to the spread of vector-borne diseases.

One Health Day is a time to raise awareness of the One Health approach and to celebrate the work of those who are working to protect the health of people, animals, and the environment. The day also provides an opportunity to learn more about the One Health approach and how individuals can get involved.

The slogan for One Health Day is "By protecting one, we help protect all." This slogan highlights the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, and the importance of working together to protect the health of all.

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What is One Health?

One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

FAO's role in One Health

FAO supports Members to build and implement effective collaborative One Health strategies and capacities, for improving the health of people, animals, plants and the environment. 

Quadripartite collaboration

The Quadripartite agencies (FAO, WHO, UNEP and WOAH) develop and implement multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary approaches to complex health challenges at the animal-human-plant-environment interface.