One Health Day Date in the current year: November 3, 2024

One Health is an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach that aims to attain optimal health for people, animals, and the environment. Its origins can be traced back to the 19th century, when German physician Rudolf Virchow established a link between human and animal disease and coined the term “zoonoses” for infectious diseases that are naturally transmitted between non-human animals and humans.

In 1964, veterinarian and public health professional Dr. Calvin Schwabe coined the term “One Medicine” to emphasize the need for collaboration between physicians and veterinarians to solve global health problems. However, it took four more decades for the One Health approach to become a reality. It occurred at the “One World, One Health” symposium that was held at The Rockefeller University in New York City in September 2004.

During the symposium, a group of expert panelists formulated the so-called Manhattan Principles—twelve recommendation for establishing an interdisciplinary, more holistic approach to preventing epidemic / epizootic diseases and addressing other global health challenges. Since then, a number of organizations throughout the world have supported the One Health approach, including the Quadripartite organizations that are working together to bring it into the mainstream:

• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• The World Health Organization (WHO)
• The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), formerly the Office International des Epizooties (OIE)

According to the World Health Organization, the One Health approach is an approach to the design and implementation of programs, research, policies, and legislation in which multiple sectors work together with the aim of achieving better public health outcomes. It can contribute to solving many global issues such as prevention and control of zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, environmental pollution, climate change, and many others. If applied properly, the One Health Approach can help protect the health of people, animals, and the environment in the present and future generations.

The One Health Day campaign was launched by three leading organizations that promote the One Health approach: the One Health Commission, the One Health Initiative, and the global One Health Community. Its main goal is to raise awareness of the benefits of using the One Health approach to solve complex health challenges that involve people, animals, and ecosystems.

One Health Day events and activities are organized around the globe by various international and national human health organizations (including the World Health Organization), animal health organizations, environmental organizations, public health professionals, NGOs, educational establishments, corporate and private partners, and other stakeholders.