One Health Day and Rabies

Put very simply, the One Health concept recognizes that the health of humans is connected to the health of animals and the environment and because rabies is something that is intrinsically linked to both animal and human worlds its control requires a One Health approach.

Through One Health the hope is that we, as a global society, start to recognize and address health concerns for humans, animals and the environment as a whole, not in isolation. For example, it’s all well and good vaccinating whole communities of humans against rabies but if the disease is ignored in animals then it will never be beaten.

This approach is therefore important to us and our mission to end human deaths from rabies by 2030. With the combined support of bigger organisations that span different sectors like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), we can get the issue of rabies in front of bigger audiences and governments, raising its profile and making it a focus.

One Health Day is on November 3rd and aims to increase the number of One Health interactions globally through education and events and to inspire more events worldwide.  There are currently 59 events registered with more being announced each week as well as a competition for students that put on events. Any rabies related activity on One health day would both increase the awareness of the need for the One Health approach and help us to End Rabies Now.