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Background

Successful public health interventions require the collaboration of partners working in human, animal, and environmental health. Human health professionals, animal health professionals, environmental professionals, law enforcement, legislators, farmers, communities, and even pet owners are all important stakeholders in a One Health strategy.

There is no single person, institution, or sector that can address health challenges at the animal-human-environment interface. One Health is gaining traction in the United States and around the world as a successful strategy for combating health challenges at the human-animal-environment interface, such as zoonotic illnesses. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) employs a One Health approach in monitoring and controlling public health threats, as well as learning about how diseases spread among people, animals, plants, and the environment. This effort involves experts in human, animal, and environmental health, as well as other relevant disciplines and sectors.

A camel in the foreground with a pyramid in the background

Importance of US-Middle East One Health Network

The US-Middle East One Health Network has been established to enhance global efforts to implement One Health, supporting the “collaborative, multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach to achieving optimal health and well-being outcomes by recognizing the linkages between people, animals, plants, and their common environment at the local, national, and global levels”—US CDC. A One Health approach can produce the most successful health outcomes for people, animals, and plants in a shared environment through collaboration across all sectors. The US-Middle East One Health Network facilitates the collaboration between its members to apply the three foundations of One Health.

  • Communication
  • Coordination 
  • Collaboration

Goal & Objectives

  1. Improve the utilization of one health approach in dealing with public health challenges through exploring the interactions among human, animal, environmental health, and other relevant partners. 
  2. Support international research collaborations between members related to the application of one health foundation.
  3. Foster sustainable interaction and between institutions about disease detection and diagnosis, as well as education and research.
  4. Facilitate capacity building and promote best practices for the harmonization of methodologies implementing One Health.
  5. Help identify of emerging risks to human, animals and the environment. 
  6. Apply the latest technology and science in implementing One Health. 
  7. Share information to avoid duplication of effort and loss of resources. 
  8. Identify research needs. 
  9. Develop academic curricula among the participant institutions to spread the knowledge of the One Health approach and practice.
  10. Develop and share training material on one health foundation and practices. 
  11. Share knowledge about disease detection and diagnosis, and illness prevention, both infectious and chronic.

Potential Area of Collaboration

  1. Zoonotic illnesses, antibiotic resistance, food safety and security, vector-borne diseases, environmental contamination, and other health threats shared by humans, animals, and the environment.
  2. Climate Change Comparative Biology / Translational Research / Diseases that affect both animals and humans, such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
  3. Preparedness and response to disasters.
  4. Contamination detection and reaction in the environment.

The Network Headquarters

The University of Maryland, School of Public Health
College Park, MD

For more information, please contact:
Dr. Muhiuddin Haider
mhaider@umd.edu

Dr. Abdel-Razak M. Kadry
akadry@umd.edu