Australia's biosecurity Chiefs are celebrating One Health Day by highlighting the importance of working across animal, plant and environmental health areas to protect Australia's biosecurity.
One Health Day is a global initiative supported internationally by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health, and United Nations Environment Programme.
A collaborative One Health approach recognises that the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems are closely connected. It helps identify and manage risks together before they escalate and provides an integrated approach to optimise health across communities, food systems and natural areas.
The department's role in biosecurity recognises that many pest and disease threats can have significant impacts on human, animal, plant and ecological health.
The department is committed to managing these dynamic health and biosecurity threats with a One Health approach through strong partnerships between government departments, industries, scientists, health experts and the community to protect Australia's environment, economy, industries, communities, and way of life.
Quotes attributable to Australia's three biosecurity Chiefs:
Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Beth Cookson:
"One Health recognises that the health of people, animals and the environment are closely interconnected. Many of the most significant health and biosecurity challenges we face today cannot be effectively managed by any one sector acting alone.
"The ongoing national response to H5 bird flu highlights why this approach is so important. Effective management relies on collaboration across animal health, public health, environmental, wildlife and agricultural sectors to detect risks early, share information and support coordinated decision-making.
"One Health Day is an important opportunity to recognise the partnerships and expertise that help protect the health and wellbeing of Australians, our animals, our industries and the environment we share."
Australia's Chief Plant Protection Officer, Dr Rosa Crnov:
"One Health is about looking beyond individual issues to the broader systems that connect us, helping deliver better outcomes for our industries, environment, and way of life."
"Protecting plant health can help secure our food supply while also supporting biodiversity and the wellbeing of people and animals. Through One Health, we can see those wider benefits and make choices that have a lasting impact."
"As the pressures facing our health, agriculture and environment continue to evolve, the One Health approach helps us identify and respond to shared challenges in a way that delivers benefits across multiple sectors."
Australia's acting Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer, Dr Allison Jones:
"Healthy ecosystems are a foundation of One Health. Environmental biosecurity helps safeguard the ecosystems that support biodiversity, productivity and wellbeing, now and into the future. When we protect biodiversity and strengthen environmental resilience, we also support the health of people, animals and plants.
"As risks become increasingly complex and interconnected, a One Health approach helps ensure our decisions deliver benefits across environmental, animal, plant and human health.
"Many of today's biosecurity challenges do not fit neatly within a single sector. Environmental biosecurity highlights the importance of understanding how risks move across ecosystems, animals, plants and people."
