On Tuesday April 23, Leuven One Health, One Europe for Global Health, the One Sustainable Health for All Foundation and the Virchow Foundation for Global Health organized a One Health workshop at KU Leuven university under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, which was attended by eighty on-site participants and an international audience of over two hundred people online.
One Health recognizes how human and animal health, climate, environment and sustainable innovation are strongly interrelated. Moreover, One Health knows no geographical borders and is part of the global dimension of public health. Achieving One Health requires a systemic approach, yet also demands targeted actions for research and innovation. Policies should be evidence-based and science to guide approaches to One Health requires interdisciplinary collaboration across different domains of health, environmental sciences, agriculture and development, social sciences and others. At the core of implementation and impactful innovation are cross-sectoral collaborations between research and academia, the private sector, government and citizens.
Various actors were brought together in sessions that focused on themes that are high on the Belgian and European policy agenda, such as safeguarding a healthy environment for healthy people, sustainable food systems, the digital revolution of our healthcare and the implementation of One Health policies on the level of the EU and beyond.
“We don’t need more resolutions and more texts, we need action plans and accountability. Nothing will happen without strong leadership, at all levels. It is also important that civil society comes in, and that we have a movement of young people, because it is about the future of every single citizen.”
Peter Piot, Special Advisor to European Commission President von der Leyen on European and Global Health
There were four sessions :
- Session 1: ENVIRONMENT, URBAN, AND ONE HEALTH
Interdisciplinary research informs on the impact of environmental changes for human health. Starting from examples, the panel will discuss how cross-sectoral collaboration can guide interventions for One Health.
“There is no such thing as healthy people on a sick planet”
Eveline DeCoster, environmental advisor to the Belgian minister of Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development & Green Deal
- Session 2: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND ONE HEALTH
Sustainable agriculture is a One Health problem, for planet, human food production and animal health. One Health at KU Leuven brings together teams with a wide scope as a starting point for a discussion on new approaches for responsible agriculture by the panel.
“Changing your diet is the single greatest action that you can take, if you want to protect your health and also have an impact on this planet.”
Brent Loken, Global Food Lead Scientist at WWF
- Session 3: THE POWER OF DATA FOR ONE HEALTH
The Digital Agenda of the EU and at national level offers multiple opportunities for an integrative approach to One Health Data with emphasis on modeling and predictive power. The panel discusses the need and potential for cross-platform initiatives, collaborations and citizens’ participation.
- Session 4: ONE SUSTAINABLE HEALTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND BEYOND
In this session, panelists will discuss current organization and future options for One Sustainable Health, in the perspective of the European Union as actor in and for a global, multi-stakeholder strategy.
