One Health: What It Is & Why It Matters

Today, November 3rd, marks One Health Day 2025, an international day dedicated to promoting the essential connection between human, animal, and environmental health. This year, organizations worldwide, including Mygotovet, are joining the conversation to raise awareness of how closely intertwined these three pillars of life truly are. With global challenges like pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, and climate change on the rise, the message behind One Health Day 2025 is clearer than ever, our future depends on understanding that protecting the planet means protecting ourselves.

The One Health Concept: A Unified Approach to Global Well-being

The One Health approach recognizes that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interdependent. It emphasizes that our health outcomes are shaped by the ecosystems we live in and the animals we interact with. Clean water, nutritious food, medicines, and stable climates all rely on a healthy environment. When one of these elements becomes compromised, the others quickly follow.

For instance, deforestation, pollution, and biodiversity loss not only endanger wildlife but also increase the risk of zoonotic diseases, those that spread between animals and humans. Studies show that up to 80% of emerging infectious diseases originate from animal sources. Consequently, addressing these risks demands collaboration across disciplines, from medicine to veterinary science and environmental management.

This year, One Health Day 2025 is guided by the theme “One Health, One Future: Leveraging Technology Amid Global Challenges.” The focus is on integrating science and technology to create sustainable solutions that strengthen our resilience against shared threats.

A World of Shared Threats: How Zoonoses Bridge Species

Over the last few decades, outbreaks such as Ebola, SARS, and COVID-19 have revealed just how easily diseases can jump between animals and humans. Each pandemic starts as a local event, a virus spilling over from wildlife or livestock, and can quickly evolve into a global crisis through travel and trade.

However, fewer people realize that the transmission doesn’t always move in one direction. A phenomenon known as “spillback” occurs when humans transmit diseases back to animals. A striking example was observed in 2020 when SARS-CoV-2 spread from infected humans to farmed minks in Denmark, leading to the emergence of a new variant that could infect humans again.

These events highlight the urgent need for surveillance systems that monitor health across species. By fostering collaboration among public health professionals, veterinarians, and environmental scientists, we can predict, prevent, and respond to these threats before they spiral out of control.

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Climate Change: The Invisible Driver of Health Crises

It’s impossible to discuss One Health Day 2025 without addressing climate change. Rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and extreme events like floods and droughts disrupt natural habitats, alter disease patterns, and threaten food systems.

Climate change has both direct and indirect effects on health. Heatwaves increase mortality rates, while floods contaminate water supplies. Additionally, vector-borne diseases such as malaria, West Nile Virus, and dengue fever are expanding into new regions as mosquitoes adapt to warmer climates.

By understanding these environmental changes through a One Health lens, experts can predict where and when disease outbreaks might occur. For example, integrated data from animal migration, weather forecasts, and human health records can reveal early warning signs before epidemics escalate. 

Antimicrobial Resistance: The Silent Pandemic Threatening All Species

Another pressing challenge emphasized on One Health Day 2025 is antimicrobial resistance (AMR), often called the “silent pandemic.” AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, or parasites evolve to resist medications, rendering common treatments ineffective. The problem affects humans, animals, and ecosystems simultaneously.

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in healthcare, agriculture, and animal farming accelerate this process. Resistant pathogens spread through food, water, soil, and direct contact, making it nearly impossible to contain without a unified global response.

A true One Health strategy addresses AMR by promoting responsible antimicrobial use across all sectors. This includes improving hygiene, strengthening biosecurity in farms, and investing in alternative therapies. As Mygotovet highlights in its sustainability initiatives, protecting antibiotic effectiveness requires cooperation from veterinarians, doctors, farmers, and policymakers working together toward a common goal.

Collaboration in Action: How the World Is Uniting for One Health

The Quadripartite Collaboration on One Health, a partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is leading the global movement for coordinated action.

Their One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022–2026) outlines strategies to prevent and manage zoonotic outbreaks, combat AMR, and strengthen ecosystem resilience. Action Track 2 focuses on reducing zoonotic epidemic risks, while Action Track 5 aims to preserve antimicrobial efficacy through responsible usage.

This integrated approach encourages every country to take local action. Governments are urged to develop national One Health frameworks, while citizens can contribute by adopting sustainable habits, reducing pollution, conserving wildlife, and supporting eco-friendly brands.

Building a Healthier, More Sustainable Future

Despite global recognition, implementing the One Health approach remains challenging. Institutional silos, fragmented communication, and unequal resource distribution often slow progress. Overcoming these barriers requires trust, transparency, and collaboration between all sectors of society.

Education also plays a pivotal role. Raising awareness about how individual actions, like responsible waste disposal, vaccination, and antibiotic use, impact collective health is key to change. Everyone has a part to play, from policymakers and researchers to pet owners and consumers.

Together for a Healthier Planet

One Health Day 2025 reminds us that human, animal, and environmental health are not separate pursuits but interconnected parts of the same system. When one suffers, all do. Addressing modern health challenges, whether pandemics, pollution, or AMR, requires breaking down silos and embracing a collaborative spirit.

Mygotovet believes that protecting animals and the environment is the foundation for a healthier, more sustainable world. By joining forces and taking small, meaningful steps, such as supporting One Health initiatives, reducing waste, and using antimicrobials responsibly, we can make a lasting difference.

Let’s use One Health Day 2025 as a turning point. Together, we can build a resilient planet where people, animals, and nature thrive in harmony. Take action today because your health, and the planet’s future, depend on it.

Frequently Asked Questions on One Health 

1. What is One Health Day 2025 and why is it celebrated?

 One Health Day 2025 is celebrated on November 3rd to promote awareness about the vital connection between human, animal, and environmental health. The day encourages collaboration among healthcare professionals, veterinarians, and environmental experts to prevent global health threats like pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, and climate-related diseases. It emphasizes that a healthy planet is essential for healthy people and animals.

2. What is the theme of One Health Day 2025?

 The theme for One Health Day 2025 is “One Health, One Future: Leveraging Technology Amid Global Challenges.” This theme highlights the role of science, innovation, and technology in building stronger systems to prevent and respond to interconnected health threats affecting humans, animals, and ecosystems worldwide.

3. How does climate change relate to the One Health approach?

Climate change affects human, animal, and environmental health simultaneously. Rising temperatures and habitat loss increase the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever, while extreme weather events threaten food and water security. The One Health approach helps identify these links and create integrated solutions that protect all life forms.

4. What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and why is it called a “silent pandemic”?

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, or parasites evolve to resist drugs designed to kill them. It’s called a “silent pandemic” because it spreads quietly but has devastating effects, making infections harder to treat and increasing healthcare costs. By uniting human medicine, veterinary care, and environmental management, the One Health strategy helps slow the spread of resistant pathogens.

5. How can individuals contribute to the One Health movement?

Everyone can play a role in advancing the One Health movement. Simple actions like reducing waste, avoiding antibiotic misuse, vaccinating pets, supporting eco-friendly brands  and advocating for cleaner environments all contribute to a healthier planet. Collaboration between individuals and communities strengthens global health security.

6. Which organizations are involved in promoting the One Health framework?

The Quadripartite Collaboration on One Health, made up of the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), leads global One Health efforts. They coordinate strategies that unite human, animal, and environmental sectors to prevent health crises.

7. Why is the One Health approach important for the future?

The One Health approach is essential for creating a sustainable future because it recognizes that human progress depends on the well-being of animals and ecosystems. By addressing shared threats, such as pandemics, pollution, and AMR, through collaboration and innovation, we can protect health, biodiversity, and global stability for generations to come.