Environmental health: The most neglected part of one health

Abstract

One health concept and perspectives have gained momentum in past few years in global health sector. Keeping in view the increased popularity of “one health” American Veterinary & Medical Association has defined it as the emerging interdisciplinary field that inherently collaborates human, animal and environmental aspects to combat emerging global health problems especially related to zoonotic public health emergencies. According to key findings of “One Health Networks (OHNs)” environmental factor is the most neglected part of one health triad that consists of human-animal-environment interface. Currently, human and animal health has been constantly threatened by rise of novel challenges like antimicrobial resistance, environmental pollution, epizootics, pandemics, development of multifactorial chronic ailments etc which needs an interdisciplinary and intersectoral expertise. Ecosystem heath and its adverse effects on human and animal health have gained greatest attention over recent years as it serves as melting pot for all infectious diseases. Despite of achieving global success in the field of “One health” it is still in embryonic stage in our country. So, the success of one health requires breaking down the shackles that still separate human and veterinary medicine from environmental, evolutionary and ecological sciences that will ultimately lead to desired equilibrium and dynamics in maintaining healthy ecosystems.