Science Summit at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78)

Issues of One health have gained prominence in the recent past, and justifiably so. The world is witnessing an increase in pathogen spill overs from animals to humans. These spill overs are driven in large measure by human actions such as population growth, encroachment on wildlife habitats, agriculture intensification and more efficient transport systems that allow people and cargo capable of carrying pathogen fomites to move between regions in a short space of time. These actions have resulted in changes to the environment which has impacted climate change and contributed to zoonotic disease emergence and re-mergence. Indeed, it has been estimated that up to 70% of all emerging and re-emerging infections in humans are of animal origin. The SARS CoV2 infection that causes COVID 19 is just but one of many such infections.
One health employs a multidisciplinary approach to address the interactions, the health risks and threats posed by the ever changing interactions between humans, animals and the environment. Surveillance leading to early detection, diagnosis and prompt reporting of disease events has been recognised as key to the effective control of zoonotoic diseases. Global One Health security agenda promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and many other international organisations, recognise One Health as a major component to the attainment of UN Sustainable development goals. Is One Health a panacea for all emerging and re-emerging diseases?

Programme
Panel discussion (+40 min)

Implementing One Health – moving from theory to practice. How do we narrow the gap between rhetoric and action?

• Opening remarks (5 mins)- Dr Mirinda van Kleef, Agricultural research Council of South Africa, Convenor
• Dr Misheck Mulumba. head of Animal Health and Protection at the Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI). He is a member of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases (SCAD) and the current Chairperson of the African One Health Network (AfOHNet)
• Dr Jacqueline Weyer (Head of the Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases,
• Prof Wanda Markotter. Director of the Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, and serves on the One Health High level expert panel (OHHLEP) Deputy Chairperson
• Summary and closing remarks (10mins)- Misheck Mulumba