Beyond Pandemics: France and WHO Launch Bold New One Health Approach to Secure Global Future
FRANCE — In a high-stakes move to insulate the world from the next catastrophic pandemic, global leaders and the World Health Organization (WHO) have unveiled a series of aggressive, coordinated actions centered on a transformative One Health approach.
Gathering in France for a milestone summit timed with World Health Day, the international community signaled a shift from reactive crisis management to proactive planetary defense.
The summit, themed “Together for health. Stand with science,” served as the launchpad for concrete initiatives designed to dissolve the silos between human medicine, veterinary science, and environmental protection.
The stakes are staggering. Roughly 60 percent of all known human infectious diseases are animal-borne, and zoonotic origins account for nearly 75 percent of emerging threats.
The ghost of the COVID-19 pandemic—which claimed an estimated 15 million lives and wiped trillions from the global economy—loomed large over the proceedings.
“The health of people, animals and the environment we share are inextricably interwoven, and we cannot protect one without protecting all three,” stated Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that France is committed to moving the One Health approach from a theoretical ambition to a tangible reality.
“One Health is not just about protecting health,” Macron said. “It is about recognizing that we live as one system.”
The Science of Interconnectedness: Why One Health Matters
To understand the urgency of this summit, one must first understand the fragile equilibrium of our planet. We are currently witnessing a convergence of threats: climate change, biodiversity loss, and rampant environmental degradation.
When we destroy forests or contaminate water sources, we push wildlife into closer contact with human populations, creating “spillover” events where viruses jump from animals to humans.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that this systemic vulnerability is exacerbated by unsafe food systems and unequal access to basic healthcare.
By integrating experts from agriculture and ecology with medical doctors, the One Health approach seeks to detect these risks in the wild before they ever reach a city center.
Does our current global infrastructure prioritize short-term economic gain over long-term biological security? More importantly, can we afford to wait for the next outbreak to act?
Four Strategic Pillars for Global Security
The WHO and its partners have outlined four decisive actions to operationalize this systemic vision:
1. A Global Infrastructure for Collaboration
The WHO is establishing a new Global Network of One Health Institutions. This network will invite Quadripartite partners to mobilize multidisciplinary expertise and provide on-the-ground support to member countries.
By utilizing the WHO Academy, the initiative aims to turn high-level global guidance into practical, country-focused tools for implementation.
2. Expanding the Scientific Vanguard
Evidence-based policy is the bedrock of the new strategy. Consequently, the One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) has seen its mandate extended through 2027, with further phases planned through 2029.
The panel will focus on shaping the global research agenda and driving high-level advocacy grounded in rigorous science.
3. The Race to Eradicate Rabies by 2030
In a targeted strike against a preventable killer, the WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health, and the Institut Pasteur have launched a renewed push to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030.
Rabies still claims nearly 60,000 lives annually—most of them children. This initiative will serve as a scalable model for broader One Health surveillance.
4. A Unified Front Against Avian Influenza
Fragmentation is the enemy of efficiency. The WHO and its partners introduced a new Strategic Framework for Collaboration on avian influenza to synchronize risk assessment and response.
This framework addresses not only public health but also the ripple effects on food security, livelihoods, and biodiversity, as highlighted by researchers at the IPBES.
New Leadership and Research Synergy
In a significant governance shift, the WHO has assumed the Chairmanship of the Quadripartite collaboration, leading the effort alongside the FAO, WOAH, and UNEP.
This leadership role is intended to streamline governance and ensure that the One Health approach yields measurable impacts at the local level rather than remaining a bureaucratic exercise.
Simultaneously, the first Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres convened from April 7–9. With representatives from France, Germany, Indonesia, and South Africa, the forum brought together over 800 centers from 80 countries.
This forum is designed to accelerate data sharing and scientific innovation, ensuring that the brightest minds in academia are directly linked to policy-making.
As these outcomes move toward the G7 and other international forums, the world faces a critical question: will the political will to fund this infrastructure match the scientific urgency of the threat?
Frequently Asked Questions
- What exactly is the One Health approach?
- The One Health approach is an integrated, unifying strategy that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment.
- Why is the One Health approach critical for pandemic prevention?
- Because approximately 60% of known infectious diseases in humans originate in animals, and 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, this approach allows for earlier detection and faster response.
- What were the key outcomes of the One Health Summit in France?
- Key outcomes include the creation of a Global Network of One Health Institutions, the expansion of the OHHLEP expert panel, a plan to eliminate rabies by 2030, and a new strategy for avian influenza.
- How does the One Health approach address avian influenza?
- Through a new Strategic Framework for Collaboration, the approach shifts fragmented actions into a unified strategy focusing on surveillance, risk assessment, and food security.
- Who is leading the global coordination of the One Health approach?
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has assumed the Chairmanship of the Quadripartite collaboration, working alongside FAO, WOAH, and UNEP.
Disclaimer: This article provides information on global health initiatives and should not be taken as personal medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional regarding health concerns.
Join the Conversation: Do you believe that global cooperation can truly prevent the next pandemic, or are we too late to reverse environmental damage? Share this article with your network and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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