Sub-Themes Description

Promoting One Health policies is key to advancing favorable change by influencing decision makers and other stakeholders to endorse or implement policies that contribute to improving One Health. Specialized One Health policy and advocacy is required to influence policy decision-makers and implementers. Topics may include One Health policy, importance of advocacy in One Health, best practices, national and global coordination,community engagement, the status of one health policy and governance in Ethiopia and other countries, capacity building initiatives

AMR has become a global thread crossing all the boundaries. It has made most infectious diseases incurable. It has also demanded for development of new therapeutics which requires extensive finance, human and material resources. Topics like containing AMR could be included in this ST. The collaborative effort of all global, regional and national stakeholderexerted towards AMR containment would be capitalized.

It is believed human health is affected mainly by environment and animal health. One way or another, all the components of one health affect human health. Airborne diseases are affecting our health. COVID 19 which is a good example of a live witness and taken many lives globally is an air born disease.Some infectious diseases affecting human health are animal born. The impact of plant borne diseases on human health should not be undermined. In these ST. topics like how to control air, water, and animalborne diseases, and one health modeling could be discussed. How the various disciplines in one health could contribute for the wellbeing of humans shall also be discussed. The human-animal-environment interfaces could be discussed.

Outbreaks that occur at the animal-human- environment interface pose a significant threat to public health, social security, and the economy. The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) reported that 60% of the existing human infections are zoonotic and 75% of human emerging diseases are of animal origin. In addition, 3 out 5 new human diseases detected annually are of animal origin, most of these outbreaks are triggered by favorable environments. Topics may include viral, bacterial, parasitic zoonotic diseases, vector-borne diseases,emerging and remerging infectious diseases involving humans, animals and the environment, transmission cycles, disease surveillance early warning systems, and disease informatics, as well as effective communicative strategies, and the role of engaging the community and private sector.Emerging and reemerging zoonotic diseases in the context of the human-animal-environment interfaces could be discussed.

Water is critical in both agriculture and food processing, as well as in nutrition and human health. In order to solve water challenges (equity, affordability and access), a multi-sectorial approach between water, food/agriculture, ecosystems, and public health is needed. Given that resistant bacteria and genes often cross environments and species boundaries, it is also critical to understand and acknowledge the linkages between human, animal and the water environment to manage antimicrobial resistance. Topics may include potential risks to human health of contaminated source water where people and livestock often live in close proximity, water safety, sanitation technologies, solid waste management, water pollution in urban settings, the protection of aquatic ecosystems, water reuse in agriculture, chemicals and antibiotics in the environment and food supply chain and their impacts on wildlife, aquatic life and humans, health risk assessment, technology options, and the environmental control measures needed for disease prevention.

Today, microbes can traverse the globe faster than their incubation period; our great convergence offers unique opportunities for them to cross species lines, become resistant to antimicrobial agents, adapt, change, and find new niches, and emerging and reemerging diseases result. Our current era of emerging infections and pace of emergence is accelerated with changing ecosystems, risky human behavior, poverty, travel, trade, globalization, population growth, and our interconnectedness. Food as a potential vehicle for disease transmission is embedded in this complex system; food safety has taken on a growing importance and has become a critical public health imperative. Topics may include epidemiology of food-borne illnesses, pathogenic microorganisms of interest for the food industry, methods for detecting and quantifying food-borne pathogenic microorganisms, and the use of biocides in the food industry, mosquito-borne infectious diseases, tick-borne infectious diseases, and vectors, and toxins in the food chain, innovative approaches and skills to enhance capacity, post-harvest loss, food-related bio-waste, and urban-suburban supply chain.

Rapid urbanization has led to negative, and sometimes unintended, consequences on biodiversity and human health. While cities offer numerous advantages in meeting the basic needs of a growing population, they also pose less apparent and longer-term health costs. To address the multifaceted impacts of urbanization, an evidence-based design framework for establishing mitigation and regeneration actions is essential. Via a “One Health” approach, this perspective provides recommendations and strategies for the urban ecosystem rehabilitation of future cities, placing biodiversity and ecosystem services at the core of designing healthy and sustainable urban spaces. Topics may include models to integrate diverse perspectives from public and private sectors, health-centered urban planning, urban biodiversity, green infrastructures, urban ecosystem rehabilitation, ecosystem services in urban areas, urban microbiomes and antimicrobial resistance, non-native and invasive species in cities, urban wetlands, and human health considerations in urban green space design, and air pollution.

As the “biggest health threat facing humanity,” climate change is already changing people’s lives, as well as animal habitats and environments. In different countries and regions of the planet, surging health problems pose challenges to health care providers, policy makers, and governance. Topics may include the emergence of new pathogens and infectious diseases, and hardships caused by environmental problems, such as heat exposure, respiratory problems, malnutrition and mental health issues. These problems are already affecting most global populations and will continue to do so in the future, calling for holistic forms of mitigation, control, and prevention on local, regional and global levels.

The concept of a circular economy offers an avenue to sustainable growth, good health and decent jobs, while saving the environment and its natural resources. Further, the change from a linear economy (‎take, make, dispose)‎ to a circular economy (‎renew, remake, share)‎ is expected to support significantly the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (‎SDGs)‎, particularly SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production.Circular economy approaches recognize the deep interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and Environmental health. Topics my includerecycling, reuse, and sustainable production to minimize waste and pollution, environmental contamination, health risks in human and animal such as toxins and antibiotic resistance, regenerative agricultural practices, soil health and pesticide use, reduction of antibiotic overuse in agriculture through alternative farming methods and efficient waste management, and One Health response to emerging health risks.

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically manifested the need for data, information and knowledge sharing across governments, health systems, clinicians, citizens and other stakeholders. The ODH framework, published in 2021, highlights the digital interconnections between human health, animal health, plant health and the environment. Digital transformation is a main driver toward finding smart solutions often based on artificial intelligence and information communication technologies such as big data analytics and machine learning, combined with mainly the recent advancements in molecular biology, bioinformatics, and pharmacology as well as in areas related to health-care policies.Topics may include the use of remote sensing and GIS coupled with Big Data from cell phones, internet service providers, surveillance networks, scientific databases to identify and predict disease hotspots, zoonotic spillovers and disease distribution through the integration of data sources (human, veterinary an environmental) and machine learning; the use of sensors and drones was discussed for targeted fertilization and pesticide application as well as improved water use management.

Combining sustainable energy with the One Health approach creates a transformative strategy to tackle interconnected health, environmental, and societal challenges. Integrating sustainable energy into the One Health framework is not just an opportunity—it is a necessity for a healthier, more resilient planet. By adopting sustainable and renewable energy solutions, we can significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions, combat climate change, and simultaneously enhance the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. Achieving this vision requires collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to equity and sustainability in energy.