What is One Health?

The (opens in a new window)One Health High Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP), it an article published in PLoS Pathogens in 2022 (PDF), defined One Health as follows:

One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. It recognises that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants and the wider environment (including ecoysystems) are closely linked and interdependent.

The approach mobilises multiple sectors, disciplins and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for healthy food, water, energy and air, taking action on climate change and contributing to sustainable development. 

The philosophy of One Health is fundamental to how UCD operates - it promotes the core idea that problems can best be solved by using multi-disciplinary teams that are solution focussed and use their diversity of thought as a strength. We aim to solve problems and drive innovations that benefit not only human health but also animal health and the environment. 

UCD is uniquely positioned in Ireland for One Health research. It is home to the only School of Veterinary Medicine on the island of Ireland and is located on the same campus as the School of Medicine and School of Agriculture and Food Science under the overarching College of Health and Agricultural Sciences. The College was established in 2015 to bring UCD's health professionals and agricultural scientists together to exploit synergies and opportunities which exist across the One Health specturm.

Read more about the Vision, Mission and Strategic Objectives of UCD's College of Health and Agricultural Sciences here.