Global leaders convened in France on World Health Day 2026 for the landmark One Health Summit, where the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners unveiled a series of concrete initiatives to protect humans, animals, and the environment from future health crises. The Summit emphasized translating the One Health approach—recognizing the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health—into practical action, aligned with this year’s World Health Day theme, “Together for health. Stand with science.”
The Summit highlighted urgent global challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation, unsafe food and water, biodiversity loss, and inequitable healthcare access. With around 60% of known human infectious diseases originating from animals and 75% of emerging diseases being zoonotic, the event underscored the importance of coordinated strategies to prevent the next pandemic and reduce economic and health impacts, recalling lessons from COVID-19.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that protecting the health of people, animals, and the environment requires cross-sector collaboration. France reaffirmed its leadership in advancing One Health, emphasizing international cooperation and science-driven solutions. Summit participants, including Heads of State, ministers, experts, and policy-makers, discussed strategies to strengthen global preparedness, policy coordination, and multisector partnerships for health security.
WHO announced four major One Health initiatives. First, a Global Network of One Health Institutions will mobilize multidisciplinary expertise and provide coordinated support to countries, linking global guidance to practical tools and training. Second, the One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) will extend its mandate through 2027 and continue shaping research, supporting the One Health Joint Plan of Action, and advocating for evidence-based solutions.
Third, a renewed global effort to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030 was launched, targeting political commitment, community-based surveillance, and research while strengthening broader One Health systems. Fourth, a Strategic Framework for Collaboration on avian influenza was presented to unify surveillance, risk assessment, preparedness, and response, addressing impacts on public health, food security, and biodiversity.
WHO will chair the Quadripartite partnership with FAO, WOAH, and UNEP, enhancing global coordination, streamlining governance, and focusing on high-impact priorities. Complementing the Summit, the first Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres convened representatives from over 80 countries to foster scientific innovation, research collaboration, data sharing, and capacity-building.
The One Health Summit and the Collaborating Centres Forum highlighted the urgent need for strengthened multilateral cooperation, science-driven policy, and tangible actions to implement the One Health approach. These initiatives aim to ensure countries are better prepared for future health threats while promoting sustainable and resilient health systems worldwide.
