Connecting Human, Animal and Environmental Health

Zoonotic infections are not unique to resource-limited countries, but rapid population growth, changes in climate and land use and humans' close proximity to infected animals significantly facilitate infectious diseases transmission. One Health recognizes the intertwined relationship between the human, animal and environmental health sectors.

GPHP's body of One Health work includes programs in South Asia and in Africa, where GPHP has implemented initiatives to:

  • Develop, deliver and institutionalize training/educational offerings aligned with prioritized One Health core competencies and technical skills.
  • Train laboratories on disease surveillance protocols and equip them to survey disease burden for priority pathogens.
  • Collaborate with governmental agencies and national laboratories to strengthen surveillance governance and action plans.
  • Support and expand existing AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) surveillance in animals and humans.
  • Support early career scientists in addressing priority areas of surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory quality management and advanced diagnostic testing.
CDC photo showing a camel getting a shot from someone in protective gear.

Zoonotic diseases account for 75% of new or emerging infectious diseases, making a One Health approach to global public health imperative.

Source: CDC on Unsplash



Stories and Partnerships

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most significant global threats of our time. Because antimicrobial resistance genes are incredibly promiscuous, circulating through humans, animals and the environment, we are focused on raising awareness of AMR in the context of One Health. We support a number of programs that evaluate how antimicrobial use in animals is contributing to the development of resistance.

Building Sustainable Resources in Tanzania

We have been involved in AMR efforts in Tanzania for more than a decade. Thanks to support from the Fleming Fund and in collaboration with the Tanzanian government, we launched a national program to build local and sustainable resources for AMR surveillance in humans and animals in 2019.



One Health Workshops in Pakistan

In 2016, Pakistan established the One Health Hub at NIH’s Field Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Division to build multi-sectoral collaboration between human, animal and environmental health departments. To educate the community, Pakistan’s NIH established a National One Health Strategic Framework, aimed at prioritizing the top 6 zoonotic diseases in the country:

  • Anthrax.
  • Influenza.
  • Rabies.
  • Brucellosis.
  • Salmonellosis.
  • Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever.

In 2021, ASM and NIH jointly conducted 2 virtual workshops and created posters in Urdu and English to enhance awareness about these zoonotic diseases at both the community and professional levels.

One Health Zoonotic Disease educational poster.

One Health Zoonotic Disease educational poster.

Source: American Society for Microbiology