A Unified Front: Early Detection and Prevention of Pandemics Through One Health Surveillance
We share our environment with animals, inextricably linked through a complex web of interactions. While these connections provide mutual benefits, they also expose us to potentially harmful pathogens carried by animals, known as zoonoses. These zoonotic diseases, responsible for 60% of emerging infectious diseases, pose a significant and growing threat to global health.
Credit: Edwin Hooper
Current pandemic responses often fall short due to fragmented surveillance systems focused solely on human health. This approach fails to capture crucial insights from animal populations, neglecting a vital piece of the puzzle. Additionally, delayed responses, fueled by bureaucratic hurdles or inadequate surveillance infrastructure, can significantly amplify outbreaks, as tragically exemplified by the Ebola epidemic.
To address these shortcomings, we need a proactive and holistic approach - One Health. This framework promotes collaboration across disciplines, including human health professionals, veterinarians, environmental scientists, and community members. By establishing a national One Health surveillance body, we can create a comprehensive and integrated system for early detection and prevention of future pandemics.
This body would be tasked with three key functions:
Surveillance: Strategically selecting sites with a high risk of animal-to-human disease spillover, these teams would comprise diverse professionals working collaboratively. This ensures comprehensive data collection and eliminates the siloed approach that previously hindered animal-based surveillance.
Data Analysis: Experts from their respective fields would analyze the collected data to identify trends, correlations, and potential threats. This allows for evidence-based decision-making and timely interventions.
Information Dissemination: Timely and accurate information would be shared with relevant stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare providers, and the public. This would facilitate a coordinated response and minimize the window of opportunity for a pandemic to spread.
This proactive strategy offers several advantages over reactive responses:
Reduced Financial Burden: By preventing pandemics instead of reacting to them, we significantly alleviate the financial strain on low—and middle-income countries (LMICs). A proactive approach is estimated to cost only 2% of the staggering $11.5 trillion in economic damage inflicted by COVID-19.
Cost-Effective Preparedness: Compared to the expensive reactive measures employed during pandemics, this integrated system offers a more cost-effective way to boost pandemic preparedness in LMICs.
Targeted Resource Allocation: This strategy ensures the efficient use of limited resources by prioritizing diseases with the most significant impact on developing countries. This can be achieved by creating a comprehensive disease profile that guides surveillance efforts towards the most prevalent and dangerous threats.
The fight against future pandemics demands a unified front. Fragmentation and delays have proven ineffective and costly. By embracing a One Health approach, establishing an integrated national surveillance body, and fostering collaboration across various disciplines, we can significantly improve our chances of detecting and preventing pandemics before they have a chance to devastate communities worldwide.
