This initiative is supported by the School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong to bring people and communities together for One Health
One Health, as an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to addressing complex health challenges, is gaining acceptance. However, significant obstacles remain in achieving cohesion in One Health strategies and their implementation for optimal population health outcomes. Critical issues such as a lack of trust and communication lead to fragmented efforts among the sectors addressing health in animals, humans, and the environment. Additionally, funding and capacities for One Health initiatives often function in isolation, and there is a lack of policy and leadership for coordinated action against shared threats. While we are seeing incremental gains in One Health, we believe we can do better before the next global health threat arises. To be part of the solution, we will address these challenges and inspire change by introducing the Interdisciplinary Collaboration on One Health (One Health Hub) to our community and partners.
As Michael Jackson’s Earth Song line goes…
“Let’s realize, oh, that a change can only come
When we stand together as one”
The Interdisciplinary Collaboration Hub on One Health (One Health Hub) is dedicated to advancing solutions for critical public health challenges at the human-animal-environment interface, embodying the One Health approach. By bringing together the diverse strengths of the School of Public Health and empowering the community, we create opportunities for collective action aimed at achieving population health outcomes. Through strategic knowledge exchange, collaborative research partnerships, and dynamic community outreach, we tackle urgent issues such as antimicrobial resistance, emerging infectious diseases, and the far-reaching effects of climate change.
The School of Public Health has actively pursued a range of initiatives to tackle the issue head-on, employing a comprehensive One Health approach to deepen understanding and drive effective solutions since the roll out of the “Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance” in 2017. The One Health hub will continue to build on the gains of the past and take the lead in a unified manner hereon:
Our priorities include but not limited to:
We aim to strengthen the integration of different disciplines within the School and beyond for a stronger multi-pronged actions for a healthier Hong Kong:
One Health maybe new to many, and as public health educators, we are dedicated to advancing education amongst our learners and offer these blocks of knowledge with the community to promote positive health outcomes. We will achieve this through:
