THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE ONE HEALTH FORUM OF SOUTH AFRICA ONE HEALTH Focus June 2026 | ISSUE 3
Foreword................................................................... Action Tracks Enhancing One Health capacities......................... Reducing risks of zoonotic diseases.................... Controlling neglected tropical & vector-borne diseases ................................................................... Promoting sustainable, safe food systems ....... Mitigating antimicrobial resistance ..................... Integrating environmental health into One Health........................................................................ 03 05 07 09 11 13 In this issue 01 7 9 11 15
Welcome to the latest issue of One Health Focus. This newsletter reports on a wide range of activities of the One Health Forum of South Africa. In this edition, we focus on South Africa’s One Health framework, including its six strategic action tracks and key cross-cutting areas such as integrated surveillance, biosafety and biosecurity, laboratory systems, community engagement, workforce development, risk communication, and research and innovation. One Health Focus is an initiative of the national One Health Steering Committee of South Africa, led by the national Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, with support from Future Africa at the University of Pretoria. The steering committee thanks all authors, reviewers and contributors who generously shared their insights, articles and updates. Their contributions help showcase South Africa’s growing One Health community and its work to strengthen multisectoral collaboration. This newsletter is produced with support from the Future Africa Communications Office, University of Pretoria, South Street, Koedoespoort, Pretoria. Cross-Cutting Areas Surveillance stream................................................. 17 Biosafety and biosecurity........................................19 Laboratory systems................................................. 21 Research and innovation........................................ 23 Risk communication and community engagement.............................................................. 25 23 One Health Focus issue 3 newsletter is available at https://www.futureafrica.science/resources/publications/ 02
One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems. It recognises that human, animal and environmental health are closely linked and interdependent. Strategic plans operationalise this insight by ensuring collaboration across sectors such as public health, veterinary health, wildlife, agriculture and the environment. These plans ensure alignment with global governance structures – such as the Quadripartite Collaboration (the Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations Environment Programme, World Health Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health) – which guide One Health implementation worldwide. These bodies have developed a One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022 – 2026) and implementation guides to support countries in applying One Health principles. This has been extended until 2030. The One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) plays a vital advisory role, and it was a privilege to be part of the process in South Africa as OHHLEP cochair. I observed a thorough methodology and participatory process to ensure that these global frameworks are relevant to the national South African context. It was evident that South Africa’s One Health Implementation Framework (2026 – 2030) will align closely with existing structures, such as the One Health Steering Committee, Joint External Evaluation, International Health Regulations, National Action Plan for Health Security, and multiple disease‑specific and environmental programmes. The framework is strongly focused on functional governance, collaboration, coordination and communication across sectors. It’s organised around six strategic action tracks that are adapted to the South African context and demonstrate that One Health is not just about zoonotic diseases: Aligning national One Health efforts with global frameworks 1. Enhancing One Health capacities: Strengthening governance, coordination, financing and workforce development, and enabling policies across sectors 2. Reducing risks associated with endemic, emerging and re‑emerging zoonoses: Improving surveillance, early-warning systems, spillover prevention and multisectoral response 3. Controlling neglected tropical and vector‑borne diseases: Implementing community‑driven, risk‑based interventions and addressing socio‑environmental determinants 4. Promoting sustainable, safe food systems: Strengthening food safety surveillance, risk assessment, laboratory capacity and emergency response mechanisms 5. Mitigating antimicrobial resistance (AMR): Expanding integrated AMR and antimicrobial use surveillance, stewardship, regulatory alignment and cross‑sectoral governance 6. Integrating environmental health: Addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, pollution and environmental drivers of disease emergence Cross‑cutting components include integrated surveillance and reporting, biosafety and biosecurity, laboratory systems, community engagement, workforce development, and risk communication. These provide the foundation for achieving One Health objectives. An additional cross-cutting area – research and innovation – was added to recognise that this is critical to One Health. Nearing the finalisation of the framework is a major milestone and step forward for South Africa to be better prepared to face endemic diseases, outbreaks and future pandemics. 2 FOREWORD By Wanda Markotter of the Future Africa platform, University of Pretoria (UP) and UP’s Centre for Viral Zoonoses in the Department of Medical Virology, South Africa 03 Read more about the author: Wanda Markotter
“The health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible” — botanist Sir Albert Howard
Enhancing One Health capacities to strengthen health systems By Wayne Ramkrishna of the Communicable Disease Control Directorate, Department of Health, South Africa, and Jacqueline Weyer of the Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, South Africa. In today’s interconnected world, health threats rarely respect boundaries. A virus emerging in wildlife can spread to livestock and then to people. Climate change can shift mosquito habitats, increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases such as malaria or dengue. Antimicrobial resistance can develop in hospitals, farms or the environment – and affect us all. Strengthening our health systems means recognising these connections and responding to them together. This is the foundation of South Africa’s One Health Implementation Framework, which promotes coordinated action to protect the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems Enhancing One Health capacities is about building the systems, skills and structures that allow different sectors – such as health, agriculture, environment, research and communities – to work as one. Rather than operating in silos, One Health brings together all stakeholders, including healthcare workers and veterinarians, environmental scientists and ecologists, public health experts and laboratory specialists, and policymakers and community leaders. The goal is simple but powerful: prevent health threats earlier, detect them faster and respond more effectively. Health systems are only as strong as the people within them. Enhancing One Health capacities includes developing core competencies such as cross-sector collaboration; risk communication; leadership in complex emergencies, translating science into policy; and ethical and culturally sensitive engagement. A workforce trained to think beyond single disciplines is better equipped to manage complex challenges like antimicrobial resistance or climatesensitive diseases What does enhancing One Health capacities involve? Strong governance, clear coordination A key pillar of the framework is governance. South Africa has established national and provincial coordination mechanisms to ensure that outbreaks involving animals, humans or environmental drivers are managed collectively. The national One Health Steering Committee and the One Health Forum bring together government departments, research institutions and other partners. During emergencies, structures such as multisectoral outbreak response teams allow for rapid, coordinated action. This means that when rabies, Rift Valley fever or another zoonotic disease emerges, veterinary and public health authorities do not work separately – they respond together. Investing in people and skills ACTION TRACK 1 05
Enhancing One Health capacities is not only about preparing for the next pandemic. It is about building a resilient society where food is safe, water is clean, antibiotics remain effective, wildlife and ecosystems are protected, and communities are informed and engaged. In short, it is about safeguarding the well-being of current and future generations. By institutionalising the One Health approach, South Africa is strengthening its health systems in a way that reflects reality: human health does not stand alone. It is deeply intertwined with the health of animals and the environment. Investing in One Health capacities is therefore not optional; it is essential for a safer, more sustainable future. Why does One Health matter? Early detection saves lives. The framework emphasises integrated surveillance systems that connect human, animal and environmental data. For example: human disease notifications are linked with veterinary reporting systems; laboratory networks support rapid diagnostics and genomic analysis; and environmental monitoring informs risk forecasting for vector-borne diseases. When data flows across sectors, warning signs are recognised sooner, and action can be taken before outbreaks escalate. Integrated surveillance and laboratories Tackling root causes, not just symptoms Enhancing One Health capacities also means addressing the upstream drivers of disease which includes biodiversity loss, climate change, unsafe food systems and inappropriate antimicrobial use By integrating environmental health and ecosystem protection into health planning, South Africa acknowledges that healthy ecosystems are not a luxury – they are a cornerstone of health security. Importantly, the framework does not create parallel systems. Instead, it aligns and strengthens existing programmes – such as rabies control, antimicrobial resistance strategies, food safety systems, and the National Action Plan for Health Security – through better coordination and shared priorities. Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms ensure accountability and continuous improvement. Action Track 1, enhancing one health capacities to strengthen health systems, deals largely with the governance approach. It focuses on dismantling existing barriers caused by professional and sectoral segregation and encourages a broader engagement Sustainable financing and accountability of people with different expertise to bridge disciplinary and sectoral knowledge. This action track is overarching and aims to strengthen One Health collaborative capacity to support global, regional and national One Health coordination; and create enabling environments for One Health operationalisation. Investing in One Health capacities is essential for a safer, more sustainable future. 06 Read more about the author: Wayne Ramkrishna
ACTION TRACK 2 Reducing risks associated with endemic, novel, emerging and re-emerging zoonoses The prevention and control of zoonotic disease outbreaks requires coordinated interdisciplinary responses across human, animal and environmental health sectors. Several endemic animal diseases in South Africa pose a zoonotic risk to humans; these include rabies, bovine brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis and leptospirosis. Sporadic outbreaks of zoonoses in animals, such as Rift Valley fever and anthrax, do occur, and may affect the human population, while emerging and re-emerging zoonoses like SARS, Zika fever, MERS and avian influenza remain an ongoing global threat. In South Africa, outbreaks of controlled and notifiable animal diseases are reported to and managed by provincial veterinary services. The provincial Department of Health is informed or involved if the outbreak is a zoonotic disease. Disease outbreaks among humans are managed by districts and the provincial Department of Health. In the event of zoonotic disease outbreaks, provincial veterinary services are informed or involved. Certain priority zoonotic diseases fall under category 1 of the By Dr Alicia Cloete of the Animal Health Directorate, Disease Control Sub-Directorate, Department of Agriculture, South Africa national Department of Health’s notifiable medical conditions. Good communication exists across sectors during zoonotic disease events due to coordination structures such as the multisectoral national outbreak response team, provincial outbreak response teams and incident management teams, mainly led by the Department of Health, with available terms of reference and the capacity for rapid mobilisation and deployment of response teams when needed. South Africa has extensive experience in responding to zoonotic disease outbreaks, with rabies being the flagship example of how relevant sectors, including the environmental sector, work together to control and prevent this disease in animals and humans. A standardised approach, supported by standard operating procedures, would benefit the country by promoting consistency in managing zoonotic diseases across all regions and sectors, while providing clear guidance for settings where cross-sectoral collaboration may be limited or newly established (as pertains to zoonotic influenza, for example). 075
08 Action track 2 of South Africa’s One Health Implementation Framework highlights the following priorities: The prevention of spillover events needs to be prioritised. The lack of focus on spillover prevention is a major gap for both the pandemic instrument and effective One Health implementation. To improve zoonotic disease coordination, integrated plans, guidelines, standard operating procedures and training with multiple stakeholders need to be developed. An avian influenza simulation exercise will be conducted to help identify gaps in One Health collaboration, communication and response. Addressing human resources gaps for One Health implementation is a priority. Currently, there are no dedicated One Health human resources at the national departments of Health, Agriculture, and Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. A mapping exercise is required to develop a database of expertise, infrastructure and capacity that the One Health network can draw on. While South Africa has strong laboratory and surveillance capacities in human and animal health sectors, an interoperable, integrated disease surveillance and response (IDSR) platform is lacking. As such, the National Action Plan for Health Security surveillance technical area is prioritising the implementation of an IDSR, including an electronic IDSR platform, through the national Department of Health. An algorithm is required for triggering earlywarning responses linked to One Health surveillance, especially for novel, emerging and re-emerging diseases. There is strong academic research and surveillance initiatives on novel, emerging and reemerging zoonoses in high-risk source hosts, yet there is no platform for sharing information with relevant government authorities. This needs to be addressed with the government and academia to ensure that findings are taken into account during policy development. A revision of the Zoonotic Disease Prioritisation list of 2016 has been identified as a priority. This article was reviewed by Jacqueline Weyer, Wayne Ramkrishna, Andronica Moipone Shonhiwa and Yemi Akerele Read more about the author: Alicia Cloete
Controlling neglected tropical and vectorborne diseases in South Africa Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and vectorborne diseases (VBDs) are significant and persistent public health challenges in South Africa, disproportionately affecting marginalised, rural, peri-urban and informal settlement populations. Their transmission is closely linked to poverty, inadequate housing, limited access to clean water and sanitation, environmental degradation, and constrained access to health services. These diseases contribute to chronic illness, disability, stigma, reduced educational attainment and lost productivity, reinforcing intergenerational cycles of poverty. South Africa’s Integrated National NTD Master Plan (2023 – 2027), the Malaria National Elimination Strategic Plan (2026 – 2030) and the National Vector Control Strategy (2023 – 2027) are aligned with the global technical frameworks of the World Health Organisation, and aim to accelerate elimination and prevention targets through integrated, multisectoral approaches. Endemic or high-priority NTDs in South Africa include schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, snakebite envenoming, leprosy, rabies, fasciolosis, echinococcosis, cysticercosis/ taeniasis and other parasitic infections that have localised, yet substantial, health and economic impacts. Schistosomiasis is prevalent in warmer, rural areas such as KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, parts of the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and North West provinces, with about 25 million people at risk and 4 million currently infected. Soil-transmitted helminths, including hookworm, roundworm and whipworm, contribute to malnutrition, anaemia, impaired cognitive development and poor academic performance in children living in areas with inadequate sanitation. By Ednah Baloyi of the Directorate of Malaria and Other Vector-Borne Diseases and Patrick Hlungwane of the Directorate of Neglected Tropical Diseases Department of Health, South Africa 7 ACTION TRACK 3 09
Fasciolosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease associated with livestock and contaminated aquatic plants, highlights the importance of veterinary-public health collaboration. Human fascioliasis remains largely underdiagnosed in South Africa due to the absence of routine laboratory surveillance. Snakebite envenoming and leprosy continue to affect isolated communities, with morbidity and stigma presenting additional challenges. Vector-borne diseases, particularly malaria, continue to pose both endemic and emerging threats, with cross-border movement influencing transmission patterns. Arboviruses such as the West Nile virus, Sindbis virus, Rift Valley fever, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, tick bite fever and Q-fever are of increasing concern, with several exotic viruses such as dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika posing potential risks due to competent vectors and changing environmental conditions. Surveillance of vectors, human infections and animal hosts is critical for early detection and response. Multiple structural and environmental drivers – including climate change, rapid urbanisation, population mobility, globalisation and land-use changes – are expanding vector habitats and transmission seasons, increasing the risk and geographic spread of both NTDs and VBDs. Despite progress through interventions such as indoor residual spraying, insecticide-treated nets, mass drug administration and improved diagnostics, challenges remain; these include insecticide and drug resistance, under-reporting, limited entomological and laboratory capacity, and insufficient sustainable financing. Opportunities to strengthen control include integrated vector management; enhanced One Health collaboration across human, animal and environmental health sectors; risk forecasting; earlywarning systems; livestock vaccination; regional coordination; and improved community engagement. Investments in research, diagnostics, vaccines and new tools, coupled with better water and sanitation infrastructure, will be essential to achieving elimination goals. 10
Promoting sustainable, safe food systems – enhancing the assessment, management and communication of food safety risks through a One Health approach Making our food system safe and sustainable is critically important for public health and the economy. The One Health approach assists in understanding how humans, animals and the environment are interconnected. The food supply system is complex and can no longer be described as a singular supply chain; as such, different sectors need to work together to identify hazards; quantify, manage and communicate risks; share data and information; prevent problems; detect and respond to emergencies and outbreaks; and ensure rapid information sharing during these events. When we manage food safety risks well, we protect people from getting sick, ensure animal health and welfare, as well as environmental considerations, build trust in the food system, and support longterm social and economic development. By Shirley Parring, Aluwani Madzivhandila and Penny Campbell of the Food Control Directorate, Department of Health, South Africa 9 Food safety risk assessment Food safety risk assessment begins with identifying potential hazards across the entire food system, from farm to fork. These hazards may arise from human, animal or environmental sources, all of which are interconnected. These hazards are then scientifically assessed for risk to human and animal health and the environment. Once risks are identified, risk management focuses on reducing them through coordinated actions across these sectors. This includes the development of regulations, guidelines and interventions aimed at detecting hazards, reducing or eliminating them and preventing animal or foodborne outbreaks, all aimed at protecting human, animal and environmental health. ACTION TRACK 4 11
Read more about the author: Shirley Parring 10 Risk communication Risk communication is an essential component of an effective food safety system. Clear, accurate and timely information helps stakeholders, including consumers, industry and policymakers, understand risks and take appropriate action. By promoting collaboration across sectors, risk communication strengthens trust, supports informed decisionmaking and encourages a shared culture of food safety across the system. Bringing risk assessment, risk management and risk communication together within a One Health framework creates a more resilient and effective food system. Hazards are identified earlier, risks are reduced through prevention and information is shared to support coordinated action across sectors. Risk management Agricultural sectors and the food industry apply these measures throughout the food system, while enforcement bodies verify and monitor compliance and ensure that regulations or other measures are adhered to. Monitoring and surveillance bodies play a key role in system functioning and early detection. This may include inspections, audits, microbiological and chemical testing, animal health monitoring, and environmental surveillance. Together, these systems help identify pathogens, contaminants or unsafe practices before they escalate into larger problems. The information generated through surveillance supports authorities, producers, and veterinary and environmental services to implement targeted interventions. A data-driven approach also helps prioritise high-risk foods and processes, ensuring that resources are used efficiently to protect human, animal and environmental health. When problems do arise, such as outbreaks, their potential to affect human or animal health or the environment must be rapidly assessed to determine the extent of the problem and the likelihood of their impact on all three sectors. To operationalise this approach, planned activities include establishing a One Health food safety technical working group, reviewing guidelines for alerts and recalls, developing centralised databases for stakeholders and outbreak reports, strengthening rapid risk assessment guidance, and promoting datasharing policies. These initiatives will strengthen national food control systems, support evidencebased decision-making, and improve the early detection and management of food safety risks. The food supply system is complex and can no longer be described as a singular supply chain; as such, different sectors need to work together to identify hazards; quantify, manage and communicate risks; share data and information; prevent problems; detect and respond to emergencies and outbreaks; and ensure rapid information sharing during these events. 12
ACTION TRACK 5 Mitigating antimicrobial resistance – why One Health AMR data matters for public health in South Africa Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat that compromises the prevention and treatment of infections in humans and animals, and undermines progress in modern medicine. In South Africa, AMR has been approached through a One Health lens, recognising the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health and the implications for patient outcomes, food security and ecosystem integrity. The South African AMR National Strategy Framework (One Health Approach, 2017 – 2024) provided the first coordinated platform for multisectoral surveillance, stewardship and governance, and although expired, many of its surveillance and stewardship initiatives continue in practice. Multisectoral commitment and engagement are essential for developing sustainable mitigation solutions. Against this backdrop, and to follow on from the One Health Framework Strategy meeting held in Pretoria from 9 to 11 February 2026, specialists from the human, animal and environmental sectors were invited to reflect on four key questions central to South Africa’s AMR response: what AMR trends are emerging in South Africa; what kind of surveillance systems exist and where are the gaps; where are stronger cross-sector links needed; and what change could strengthen South Africa’s ability to translate AMR data into public health action? By Vindana Chibabhai of the Centre for Healthcare Associated Infections, Antimicrobial Resistance and Mycoses, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, South Africa Several issues were raised with regard to AMR trends in South Africa. In human health, a significant rise in gram-negative pathogens (Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii) has been observed, with carbapenem resistance of great concern in hospitals as reflected in recent national AMR surveillance reports. Within communities, Escherichia coli predominates, with rising rates of fluoroquinolone resistance. In both hospital and community settings, rates of co-resistance are increasing. The Department of Agriculture highlighted the risk of AMR transmission through the food chain and through direct contact with animals, which also threatens the sustainability of food production. Colleagues from the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) have recognised wildlife as potential reservoirs of resistant pathogens in zoological collections, while the Wastewater Genomics Syndicate highlighted the role of wastewater in the spread of AMR across sectors. Interpreting these trends depends on robust, crosssector surveillance. In human health, there is wellestablished hospital-based laboratory AMR surveillance, although antimicrobial consumption data remains limited. In the animal sector, testing antibiotic residues from slaughter facilities is underway, alongside a recently introduced bacterial AMR surveillance programme in food-producing animals. Antimicrobial use monitoring initiatives are also being implemented, including reporting through the World Organisation for Animal Health’s ANIMUSE platform. Surveillance in the wildlife and zoological sectors remains nascent, with pilot projects examining the role of flies in AMR transmission. Wastewater sampling currently focuses on identifying carbapenem-resistant enterobacterales, with the analysed data expected in the coming months. 13
14 Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat that undermines progress in modern medicine. Participants also emphasised the interconnected pathways through which AMR spreads. Shared bacterial pathogens between animals and humans may be transmitted through food or direct contact. Antimicrobial use in livestock, particularly for growth promotion, contributes to selection pressure for resistant bacteria. Environmental contamination through manure, farm runoff and wastewater systems further facilitates the movement of resistance genes across animals, humans and ecosystems. All contributors acknowledged the need to strengthen links across sectors. Policy and legislative shifts were noted as important drivers of change in the AMR landscape. There is increasing recognition that each sector may act both as a recipient and a reservoir for resistant genes and organisms, which travel fluidly across ecosystems through the movement of humans and animals and through environmental exposure. Turning surveillance insights into public health action, therefore, requires coordinated change across multiple systems. Several changes were proposed to strengthen South Africa’s ability to translate AMR data into meaningful public health action. First, the renewal of the AMR National Strategy Framework, which expired in 2024, is essential, together with governance structures that formalise accountability across all sectors. Establishing integrated One Health AMR surveillance and data-use systems that link wildlife, livestock, environmental, plant and human health data into a coherent, actionable framework is also critical. Faster translation of surveillance data and science-based evidence into policies across sectors, alongside stronger collaboration with academia, NGOs and industry, will further support progress. Expanding wastewater surveillance could help address important AMR surveillance blind spots, particularly if it provides population-level data. Genomics can also strengthen AMR surveillance to identify emerging resistance genes, track transmission of high-risk clones, detect outbreaks earlier and link genomic insights across sectors. Ultimately, the goal is to move from collecting AMR data to using it in real time to guide decisions, protect effective antibiotics and improve patient outcomes. Efforts to advance these priorities are underway through the National Action Plan for Health Security under the AMR technical working group (P4) and South Africa’s One Health Implementation Framework. However, the absence of a formally costed programme, limited funding and constraints related to other resources (diagnostic and IT infrastructure) continue to restrict progress. AMR can shift from being a “silent pandemic” to becoming a key indicator of the strength of a resilient One Health system. Addressing the gaps outlined here would allow South Africa to move from siloed data collection towards coordinated, multisectoral public health action. Read more about the author: Vindana Chibabhai This article was reviewed by Sabiha Yusuf Essack, Ruth Lancaster, Kristan Mojapelo, Olga Perovic, Veronica Phetla, Nompumelelo Themba, Natalie Schellack and Mukhlid Yousif
ACTION TRACK 6 Integrating environmental health into One Health to tackle drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation For South Africa, this is an opportune time to enhance biodiversity conservation and environmental management efforts that can yield positive benefits for human, animal, plant and environmental health through the One Health approach. The country’s natural resources, which include its diversity of species and ecosystems, are foundational to health, underpinning vital ecosystem services that are essential for health and well-being. Ensuring the constitutional right of every citizen to an environment that isn’t harmful to their well-being depends on healthy, intact ecosystems, species diversity and resilient ecological infrastructure. This should not be seen as distinct from the constitutional right to an environment that is protected. The complex, multifaceted interactions that occur at the human-animal-plant-environment interface can have positive or negative implications for health. Drivers such as pollution, biological invasions, land-use change, climate change and overexploitation of natural resources lead to the degradation of ecosystem and ecological infrastructure and biodiversity loss, and affect air and water quality as well as other ecosystem services that are essential for health. These drivers can also create conditions that are conducive to disease outbreaks and natural disasters, which may have significant effects on biodiversity. By Thato Mogapi of the Biosafety and Alien Invasive Species unit, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, and Bono Nemukula of the Climate Change, Vector Control and Air Quality unit, Department of Health, South Africa Through approaches such as ecosystem-based adaptation, substantial investment has been made in environmental policies, legislative frameworks and management interventions to conserve biodiversity, protect species, restore ecosystem integrity, control and manage biological invasions, mitigate the impacts of air pollution and climate change, and enhance the climate resilience of vulnerable ecological infrastructure and communities. There are continued efforts to reduce illegal wildlife trade, unsustainable harvesting practices and human-wildlife conflict. The ultimate goal is to achieve a healthy environment with well-functioning ecosystems that continue to provide benefits. This will require increased awareness and understanding of the interlinkage between human, animal, plant and environmental health among all the relevant sectors. 15
The One Health approach encourages multisectoral consideration of the interactions at the humananimal-plant-environment interface and interdependencies between elements to foster greater collaboration for prevention, preparedness and response to health challenges. The approach can help to reconcile areas that require trade-offs, such as in cases where disease control interventions negatively affect biodiversity and the environment or where ecosystem degradation increases the risk of zoonotic spillover. The role of the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems needs to be clearly understood and mainstreamed to other relevant sectors to achieve a balanced consideration of the environment within the One Health approach. 16 Read more about the authors: Thato Mogapi and Bonolo Nemukula Discussions on the environment action track in South Africa’s One Health Implementation Framework draft document during the validation workshop, held between 9 and 11 February 2026 in Pretoria, highlighted the need to map existing knowledge, research, policies and legislative frameworks, programmes, initiatives and role players. In doing so, gaps and opportunities may be identified, including priority areas where there’s a clear, direct link and need for a One Health approach to address more urgent issues, as well as low-hanging fruit to demonstrate the effectiveness of the One Health approach for replication and scaling up. Integration of the One Health approach in national environmental strategic frameworks – such as the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, the National Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan, and the National Climate Change and Health Adaptation Plan – is a step in the right direction to strengthen the environment pillar. Aligning these strategies with global frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the associated Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health, places South Africa in a position to demonstrate its commitment to tackling global crises like climate change, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, alongside those that affect human, animal and plant health.
CROSS-CUTTING AREAS Surveillance stream By Mbhekiseni Khumalo of the Department of Health, South Africa In 2023, South Africa adopted the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy, which aims to improve the capacity of national surveillance systems. The pillars of the strategy include collaboration, integration and coordination, and these form the basis of the One Health Approach. The key One Health role players in South Africa are the national departments of Health, Agriculture, and Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment. Public health events and disease threats rarely respect sectoral boundaries – zoonotic pathogens can move from wildlife to livestock to humans; climatedriven changes in vector ecology shift the distribution of diseases like malaria and Rift Valley fever; and environmental degradation can create conditions that are conducive to public health events or outbreaks. The IDSR strategy reflects these complexities by integrating and linking surveillance systems across human health, animal health and the environmental sector to enable early detection, timely reporting, accurate risk assessment, and a more rapid, coordinated response. The findings of South Africa’s Joint External Evaluation (JEE) highlighted several strengths on which to build. There is existing legislation governing the disease notification system in the human and animal health sectors. The country’s extensive laboratory network, which spans public reference and private laboratories, supports prompt event verification and confirmation across both human and animal sectors. At the national level, strong analytical capacity enables the regular production of epidemiological bulletins and disease-specific surveillance reports. South Africa’s demonstrated ability to mobilise multisectoral coordination during outbreaks illustrates the country’s capacity to translate surveillance data into timely public health action. The JEE also revealed gaps and fragmented surveillance systems within human health sectors and across One Health sectors that negatively affect the efficacy of South Africa’s surveillance systems. Furthermore, the JEE highlighted that there are no formal protocols governing surveillance data exchange across One Health sectors. The absence of data-sharing agreements meant South Africa produced bulletins focused only on human health, with minimal involvement of the animal health and environmental sectors. 17
By implementing IDSR, which is fully aligned with the National Action Plan for Health Security, the country has developed an electronic IDSR platform to record and timeously report events and disease outbreaks. As such, four provinces – KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and the Free State – are implementing IDSR in 27 out of 52 districts. Mortality surveillance is being implemented in Gauteng and Mpumalanga across all public hospitals and forensic pathology services, with more than 13 000 deaths recorded to date. This progress put South Africa in an advantageous position to fast-track the integration of surveillance systems across the One Health sectors, as electronic systems already exist. To date, the One Health surveillance technical working group has advanced with integration efforts, such that the Department of Health convened a two-day One Health Surveillance Systems Data Mapping and Integration Workshop on 24 and 25 November 2025 in Pretoria. The workshop brought together about 50 delegates from 18 organisations spanning government departments, public entities, science councils, weather services, academia and international organisations. Its purpose was to map existing data sources and surveillance systems across human, animal and environmental sectors, and identify climate-health indicators for integration into national IDSR surveillance systems. The workshop confirmed that surveillance systems remain fragmented within each sector and across One Health sectors. Where linkages exist, they are largely informal and manual in nature. The participants produced a draft set of climate-health indicators developed across nine thematic areas; these included vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, waterborne diseases, heat and health, and antimicrobial resistance. It was decided that the Department of Health would coordinate follow-up expert sessions with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment to finalise the indicator set and complete the surveillance system mapping in preparation for integration efforts. The foundations for integrated One Health surveillance in South Africa are in place, and the process is highly possible. What is now required is sustained investment and formalised cross-sectoral partnerships to turn fragmented systems into coordinated, integrated, functional surveillance systems that can detect public health threats early, report them promptly and equip us with the capacity to respond rapidly. 18
CROSS-CUTTING AREAS Biosafety and biosecurity: The invisible backbone of One Health One Health recognises the intricate interconnectivity of human, animal and ecosystem health. Pathogens are oblivious to disciplinary or legislative boundaries: emergent risks affecting one sector can rapidly augment and affect others. Biosafety and biosecurity – collectively referred to as biorisk – play a crucial role within this complex system. Through biorisk management (BRM) systems, work can be conducted safely to better understand, monitor and respond to biological risks, without the work itself becoming a source of harm. Far from being limited to laboratories, biosafety and biosecurity are cross-cutting capacities that enable safe collaboration and effective prevention across the entire One Health landscape. Biosafety refers to the principles, practices and containment measures designed to prevent unintentional exposure to biological agents or their accidental release into the environment, whereas biosecurity is focused on the prevention of loss, theft, misuse, diversion or intentional release of biological materials. These complementary concepts form a comprehensive system of safeguards that protects workers, communities and ecosystems in support of responsible scientific and public health activities. In the context of One Health, BRM extends well beyond traditional laboratory settings, underpinning multisectoral activities including public health, veterinary services, environmental monitoring, food safety and research. Given the nature of working with biological materials or investigating disease risks at the human-animal-environment interface, maintaining strong biosafety and biosecurity practices is paramount for ensuring safe, effective collaboration across disciplines. This cross-cutting role is particularly evident in zoonotic disease surveillance and response, where many emerging infectious diseases originate in animals before spilling over into human populations. Investigating these threats often involves field sampling, laboratory diagnostics, wildlife monitoring and veterinary interventions. By Anastasia Trataris-Rebisz of Biosafety and Biosecurity, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service Each step requires appropriate biosafety procedures to protect personnel and prevent accidental transmission. At the same time, biosecurity measures ensure that pathogens and sensitive biological materials are securely handled and accounted for, reducing the risk of deliberate misuse or diversion for nefarious purposes. Similarly, BRM is essential in mitigating the risks associated with neglected tropical diseases and vector-borne diseases. Field teams conducting vector surveillance or environmental assessments are required to make use of mitigation strategies such as wearing protective equipment and following clear safety protocols to manage the risk of exposure while sampling. Food systems also rely on strong BRM practices for the safe production, processing and inspection of food products to prevent unintentional contamination that may lead to widespread outbreaks of foodborne illness. Effective biosecurity measures reduce the risk of biological hazards being introduced into the food system to deliberately spread disease and/or sabotage a food producer. Antimicrobial resistance is yet another critical area where biosafety and biosecurity intersect with One Health. Laboratories studying resistant organisms are required to operate under stringent biosafety conditions to prevent accidental exposure or environmental release. Responsible antimicrobial stewardship across human health, veterinary medicine and agriculture requires coordinated oversight and the secure management of biological samples and data. Environmental health considerations highlight the value of BRM, as improper management of laboratory waste can create conditions that facilitate the emergence and/or persistence of disease threats. The cross-cutting nature of biosafety and biosecurity reflects a broader shift in how health risks are understood and managed. Rather than responding only after an outbreak occurs, the One Health approach emphasises prevention at source. 19
Read more about the author: Anastasia Trataris-Rebisz In South Africa, biorisk is governed by multiple regulations across several departments, including the national departments of Health, Agriculture, and Employment and Labour, as well as the Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction under the auspices of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. Furthermore, issues pertaining to the classification of biological hazards, risk assessment, control measures and the establishment of facility safety committees are covered under Government Notice R1882 of 2022 on Regulations for Hazardous Biological Agents. These regulations align with international treaties and regulatory frameworks on biorisk, such as the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (UN1540) and the International Health Regulations. In terms of capacity development, several professionals in South Africa are certified by the International Federation of Biosafety Associations. Furthermore, South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases established the Regional Diagnostic Demonstration Centre, an Africa CDC Regional Centre of Excellence for Biosafety and Biosecurity, to train and certify professionals from the southern African region and other countries. Biosafety and biosecurity are not barriers to scientific collaboration or public health action; rather, BRM enables mechanisms that make collaboration safe, credible and sustainable. As One Health initiatives continue to expand globally, integrating biosafety and biosecurity into all aspects of strengthening the health system is essential for protecting people, animals and the environment. Figure 1. Biosafety and biosecurity operate at the intersection of human, animal and environmental health, enabling safe collaboration and reducing biological risks across the One Health system. 20
CROSS-CUTTING AREAS By Nicole Wolter of the Centre for Respiratory Diseases and Meningitis, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service; and the School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Strengthening laboratory collaboration across human, animal and environmental health Laboratories are the backbone of One Health, providing timely detection, diagnosis and monitoring of diseases and zoonotic threats across humans, animals and the environment. The early detection of diseases in animals and the characterisation of pathogens can prevent spillover and spread in humans. Laboratories make this possible by providing time-sensitive data to guide outbreak responses and support decision-making. South Africa has an advanced laboratory system that provides in-country capacity to detect priority diseases, including notifiable medical conditions in humans and controlled and notifiable diseases in animals. But the implementation of an effective One Health approach depends on a collaborative and wellcoordinated laboratory system, with established mechanisms for rapidly sharing laboratory data across human, animal and environmental sectors. South Africa’s veterinary laboratory landscape supports animal health, food security and public health through a coordinated system of public, parastatal, academic and private institutions operating within a regulated framework. This landscape provides support for disease surveillance, diagnosis, research and emergency response for endemic, emerging and transboundary animal diseases. Within this system, the Agricultural Research Council – Onderstepoort Veterinary Research serves as South Africa’s National Reference Laboratory for controlled and notifiable animal diseases. South Africa’s laboratory capacity Public health laboratories provide essential services such as diagnostics, disease surveillance and outbreak pathogen detection. The National Health Laboratory Service serves more than 80% of the country’s population through a national network of 215 laboratories in all nine provinces, enabling early detection of priority diseases. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases serves as the national public health institute and supports the government’s response to communicable disease threats by providing disease surveillance, specialised diagnostics, outbreak response, public health research and workforce capacity building. Private sector laboratories complement the public sector by providing fee-forservice diagnostics and additional testing capacity, thereby strengthening public health security. The early detection of diseases in animals and the characterisation of pathogens can prevent spillover and spread in humans. 21
CROSS-CUTTING AREAS 5 Ongoing initiatives, such as the development of the One Health Implementation Framework for South Africa are providing platforms to strengthen intersectoral laboratory communication and collaboration. These initiatives can be further supported by legal and technical frameworks for routine specimen and data sharing between human, animal and environmental laboratories, as well as clear thresholds for cross-sector alerts to ensure timely responses to emerging threats. By strengthening collaboration, data sharing and coordinated responses, South Africa’s laboratories can be prepared for emerging threats to protect both human and animal health. Next steps 22 Read more about the author: Nicole Wolter Challenges in One Health laboratory integration Despite South Africa’s strong laboratory systems, several challenges limit the efficacy of a One Health approach to zoonotic disease diagnosis and surveillance. Human, veterinary and environmental laboratories operate under different government departments, which can lead to misaligned mandates, priorities and competition for limited resources. Laboratory capacity, resourcing and technical expertise vary across provinces and sectors, causing inconsistencies in diagnostic turnaround times, test availability and outbreak response. In addition, laboratory data and reporting systems are fragmented, highlighting the need for improved integration of data across public and private laboratories, and across human, animal and environmental sectors.
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