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
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