News

SEE: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/one-health-legislation-contributing-pandemic-prevention-through-law 

“The COVID-19 pandemic and other emerging infectious diseases, as well as the continuing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), are reminding us of the close connections between human, animal and environmental health and the urgent need to address them in a holistic manner. ...

 ... To address these increasing and inter-linked health challenges, while ensuring the biological integrity of the planet, it will be important to strengthen inter-disciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches that address not only disease prevention but also biodiversity conservation, climate change, and sustainable development overall (Wildlife Conservation Society, 2019). ... 

... “'One Health' is an approach to designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes” (WHO, 2017). FAO is committed to promoting One Health in the food and agriculture sectors and to the protection of the human rights to health and to a healthy environment. This involves coordination across various sectors, ranging from plant and animal health, food safety, nutrition and biodiversity, to climate change, forestry and environmental protection. It also requires embedding the principles of gender equality, economic and social responsibility into FAO normative and operational capacity development activities. To this end, FAO closely collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), other UN System entities and international organizations. ...

... This brief identifies some of the legal areas involved in One Health in the food and agriculture sectors. It analyses the impact of each area on One Health and how laws, regulations and institutions can contribute to the creation of appropriately designed emergency preparedness mechanisms to prevent, respond and control emerging pests, disease outbreaks and related health challenges.