Global One Health Day launched by three international health groups

Cheryl Stroud, DVM, PhD

Today’s guest post is by Cheryl Stroud, DVM, PhD, executive director of the One Health Commission.

This year, individuals and groups from around the world — from academic, corporate and nonprofit to students and established professionals — have the opportunity to implement One Health projects and special events under the auspices of One Health Day. While the official date is Nov. 3, One Health Day activities can and are happening throughout the year. Over 100 events are known to be planned, with more registrations coming in daily. And many more events that have not been registered on the website are being posted on the One Health Day Facebook page.

One Health is a movement to create collaborations between human and veterinary medical health care providers, social scientists, dentists, nurses, agriculturalists and food producers, wildlife and environmental health specialists and many other related disciplines. In today’s systems, this does not happen spontaneously. It requires that we create opportunities for direct interactions and relationships to form across the many disciplines needed to address today’s critical public-global-planetary health issues.

One Health Day gives scientists and advocates a powerful voice for moving beyond current usual approaches to emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, environmental pollution and many other problems to a holistic default way of doing business. It was officially launched March 31 by three leading international One Health groups:

• the One Health Commission, 
• the One Health Initiative Autonomous pro bono Team, 
• and the One Health Platform Foundation. 

One Health is increasingly accepted by numerous major international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the World Medical Association, the World Veterinary Association, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the World Organization for Animal Health and many others. An outstanding group of One Health textbooks and international professional One Health journals has emerged.

The incredible number of events planned for the inaugural One Health Day by scientists, health practitioners and students demonstrates a tremendous global interest, need and call for health professionals to work together across disciplines. And the world is already looking forward to One Health Day 2017. Check out the 2016 global One Health Day events descriptions and map and prepare to be amazed.

Public Health Thank You Day is Nov. 25

Before settling down to enjoy Thanksgiving, take a few minutes to thank some of those people who make it possible for us to celebrate.
 
Sometimes it can be easy to take things for granted, such as the fact that community flu clinics are held every year, or that shelters are available after a storm. But without public health professionals on the job, these things wouldn’t come so easily. Public Health Thank You Day, observed Nov. 25, is the perfect time to remind ourselves of the people who make things safe for us.
 
Public health professionals work hard every day to protect and improve the health of others, including promoting preparedness. From encouraging people to get vaccinated for the flu to educating communities about how to prepare for a natural disaster, public health professionals make it happen. Without their efforts, Americans would be much less likely to be prepared for emergencies, so the Get Ready campaign is showing them our thanks.
 
Research!America, along with APHA and other public health organizations, recognize these public health professionals every year on the Monday before Thanksgiving. They are asking you to give special thanks to your local public health heroes today. Thank these individuals for what they do, and honor their work by being prepared to further improve the health of your community.
 
Check out the work these public health professionals are doing across the country and visit Research!America’s Public Health Thank You Day Toolkit for ways to be involved.
 
Thank you, public health workers!