Armenpress: One Health, One Future: Protecting Nature Means Protecting Human H

Our health and wellbeing start with the environment around us. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the environment we live in. This simple idea lies at the heart of the One Health approach, which recognizes that the health of people, animals and environment  are closely connected and calls for action  to protect each of them but through joint efforts.

As  the world marks  One Health Day, this calls for  experts from public health, animal health, agriculture and environmental sectors together with policymakers and local communities to join hands  in developing  integrated solutions to address  health challenges that affect everyone.

This vision is at the heart of the global Quadripartite collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). By bringing together their respective expertise and mandates, these four organizations support countries in putting One Health into practice – strengthening prevention, surveillance and preparedness while addressing the environmental and societal factors that influence health.

As the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) in Armenia drew a close, we have an opportunity to reflect on this connection and what it means for our global future and that to Armenia. Protecting nature and biodiversity is not only an environmental responsibility; it is also an investment in healthier, safer and more resilient communities.

Armenia offers a clear example of why the One Health approach holds value. The country’s success in eliminating malaria in 2005 demonstrates what coordinated public health action can achieve. Yet as climatic and environmental conditions evolve, new challenges with  invasive mosquitoes are emerging. Recent cases of West Nile virus, together with persistent risks from leishmaniasis and tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, underscore the close connections between human, animal and environmental health. These risks illustrate the health dimensions of biodiversity. Mosquitoes, sandflies and ticks depend on particular environmental conditions and interact with wildlife, domestic animals and human populations. Changes in temperature, land use, vegetation, water systems or animal habitats can influence their distribution and activity. Human behavior, urbanization and increased interaction between people and animals can further shape transmission risks.

One Health is no longer optional and should move from concept  to practice. For Armenia, One Health means working together to help safeguard food and water sources, strengthen preparedness for disease outbreaks and build  healthier communities. Together with scientific research, community engagement and sustained political commitment, it can contribute to a more resilient future for both people and the environment.

Armenia can make One Health a lasting national priority   because a healthier environment is not simply a legacy for future generations; it is essential to the health and security of people today and when nature thrives, Armenia thrives.

Article provided by the WHO Country Office in Armenia.