Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy

Public health examines the health of populations. Public health professionals rely on epidemiology, the collection, and analysis of health data from groups of individuals, to determine which diseases are causing the most problems and require governmental interventions. The One Health concept recognizes that human health relies on healthy animals, environments, and ecosystems. Integrating the One Health concept into public health requires the inclusion of health data from animals, such as pets, livestock, and wildlife, as well as environmental data, such as air and water quality. In this week’s sessions, we will briefly discuss public health, epidemiology, and One Health.

A nation’s constitution determines its government’s structure, function, and funding. Public health and One Health are inherently governmental responsibilities since they benefit entire populations. Public policy is the study of what governments do or don’t do regarding specific issues. Environmental health focuses on the non-living (i.e. air, water, and soil) aspects of specific geographic areas. Ecosystem health, in contrast, examines the interactions between living organisms with each other within a specific environment. This week’s sessions will discuss public policy, the differences between environmental and ecosystem health, and the structure and function of national governments and international organizations relevant to implementing One Health nationally and globally.

“You are what you eat!” said Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French lawyer, and gastronome in the early 19th century. The importance of good nutrition is essential for health and well-being. We must learn that when we eat, we feed not only ourselves but our microbes as well. Microbes including bacteria and viruses play an important role in human and animal health, but some also cause disease. Food must be free of contaminating microbes and substances in order to be safe for consumption. Agriculture is the foundation of civilization because it provides a relatively secure food supply. Agriculture is both threatened by and contributes to climate change. This week’s sessions will discuss basic nutrition and microbiology as well as food safety and food security.

Who’s in charge matters when responding to deadly epidemics. Decision-making, or the lack thereof, can make the difference between life or death. Political and public health leaders must develop good working relationships in order to develop effective policies during public health crises. They must be able to communicate well, and they must not be corrupt. Corruption undermines public trust and jeopardizes health. For a government to be prepared for any public health threat, quality healthcare must be accessible to all. This week’s lectures will discuss political and public health leadership, corruption, communication, and healthcare access.