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One Health Day on November 3 is in its tenth year of raising awareness that the health of animals, people and the environment is inseparable, and needs a One Health approach to address health threats. For Wildlife Health Australia (WHA), One Health is more than a lofty idea – it is central to advancing wildlife health for a healthier future for all. 

Embedding One Health is one of the four pillars of the organisation’s Strategic Framework 2025–2050 that underpins WHA’s work, alongside amplifying the needs of wildlife, bolstering resilience and creating and sharing knowledge. 

Through trusted partnerships, multidisciplinary expertise and systems thinking, WHA advocates for One Health to be incorporated in local, national, regional and global systems and leads by example, taking a One Health approach within the organisation to demonstrate its value. 

So, what does that mean?  

Last financial year, WHA’s small but mighty International One Health team has strengthened collaboration and capacity across the Asia-Pacific region – which in turn has benefits for Australia’s biosecurity – through a series of key initiatives, including: 

• Hosting the Wildlife Health Risk Analysis Workshop in Sydney with 54 participants from 34 organisations across 12 countries; 

• Partnering with international agencies to deliver Asia-Pacific Wildlife Health Workshops in Hawaii and Japan on avian influenza (H5 bird flu), African swine fever, climate change and emerging diseases; 

• Co-developing the Online Canvas Knowledge Hub with the University of Minnesota – a practical platform enabling global partners to share expertise (Collaborate?) and strengthen collective wildlife health capacity; 

• Delivering Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis online training as a proven One Health process in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Conservation Planning Specialist Group; 

• Contributing technical input to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH); and 

• Co-chairing four WOAH Wildlife Health Networks, reinforcing Australian leadership in global wildlife health governance. 

“One Health reminds us that the health of wildlife is not separate from human, other animal or environmental health,” said Dr Steve Unwin, WHA’s International One Health Program Manager.  

“By building shared understanding, capability and resilience, WHA helps strengthen the interconnected system that safeguard the health of all species with flow on to agriculture industries and improving human wellbeing, which is all part of turning the One Health concept into action.” 

Ten years of One Health Day is an opportunity for WHA to celebrate the critical role One Health plays every day in its commitment to advancing wildlife health – and in its vision for healthy wildlife, healthy planet. 

Photo: WHA International One Health Team (L to R): Joe Cashmore, Dr Steve Unwin and Dr Erin Davis