The COVID-19 pandemic reminded the world of a fundamental reality: human health does not exist in isolation. From Ebola linked to cave-dwelling bats in Africa, SARS and Nipah traced to bat reservoirs, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) to camels, to COVID-19 itself - history shows pathogens transcend species boundaries. In India, farmers, livestock owners and agriculture workers remain on the frontlines of this invisible threat, as shrinking wildlife habitats bring humans and wildlife into closer contact.
As countries grapple with emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change and biodiversity loss, a critical question remains: how do pathogens cross species boundaries and spill over from animals to humans (zoonoses) and from humans to animals (reverse zoonoses)? On World Zoonoses Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) calls for urgent collective action to prevent the next pandemic before it begins by addressing the drivers of zoonotic spillover through the One Health Approach.
Understanding Zoonotic Spillover Through One Health
Globally, over 60 per cent of infectious diseases in humans originate in animals, and nearly three-quarters of newly emerging pathogens are zoonotic.
Traditionally, disease control focused on post-occurrence response. But to prevent the next pandemic, nations must address ecological and socio-economic drivers of disease emergence - through the One Health approach - an integrated framework, defined by the Quadripartite (FAO, WHO, WOAH and UNEP), that recognises the interdependence of human, animal, plant and ecosystem health.
Human activities are accelerating zoonotic spillover. Deforestation, agricultural expansion, biodiversity loss, wildlife trade, and urbanization bring wildlife, livestock and people into closer contact, increasing opportunities for pathogens to cross species. By disrupting ecosystems and intensifying human-animal interactions, these activities heighten the risk of disease emergence. El-Niño-associated climate disruption, extreme weather events and forest fires further compound these risks. Domestic animals often act as bridge hosts between wildlife reservoirs and humans, adding another dimension as agricultural frontiers expand into undisturbed ecosystems.
India's One Health Progress
India has made significant progress in operationalising One Health. The National One Health Mission, approved in February 2024, along with initiatives such as establishing the National Institute for One Health (NIOH) in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme by the National Centre for Disease Control programmes by One Health Support Unit under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, and the Pandemic Fund project, Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (PPR), implemented by FAO, World Bank and Asian Development Bank, are strengthening national capacities for PPR. Enhanced surveillance systems, integrated outbreak investigations, laboratory networks and cross-sectoral coordination mechanisms are increasingly part of India's preparedness architecture.
From Outbreak Response To Risk Prevention
Preventing zoonotic spillovers requires moving from outbreak response to proactive risk prevention. This requires integrated surveillance across wildlife, livestock, human and environmental health sectors; harnessing genomic technologies for early pathogen detection; strengthening biosecurity in animal production; protecting and restoring ecosystems as natural buffers; and fostering collaboration among veterinarians, physicians, ecologists, scientists/experts, policymakers and local communities.
The economic case is equally compelling. Preventing pandemics through risk reduction and ecosystem-based interventions would cost only a fraction of the losses from global pandemics. Prevention is therefore not merely a health investment; it's an investment in sustainable development, food security, biodiversity conservation and economic resilience. This aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, which recognise the strong linkages between healthy ecosystems, human welfare and long-term prosperity.
The next pandemic threat may already be circulating silently at the human-animal-environment interface. Whether it remains localised or escalates into a global crisis will depend on our ability to understand and address its drivers. One Health provides the scientific framework, operational pathway and collaborative platform to achieve this.
On this World Zoonoses Day, the call to action is clear: prevent the next pandemic before it begins. Governments, researchers, veterinarians, physicians, environmental experts, farmers, local communities and the private sector all have a role to play in strengthening surveillance, protecting biodiversity, promoting sustainable agriculture and improving biosecurity across food systems. No single institution or sector can prevent the next pandemic alone.
Protecting human health requires action beyond hospitals. Better management of forests, farms, wetlands, markets and communities is critical to preventing zoonotic spillover. By embracing a One Health approach, we can reduce the risk of zoonotic spillover, safeguard livelihoods, strengthen food security and build healthier, more resilient societies. On World Zoonoses Day, let us reaffirm our shared responsibility to act early, act together and leave no one behind.
(The author is FAO Representative in India, part of Team UN in India)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
