One Health is the profound recognition of the dynamic and interconnected nature of health of humans, animals, and the environment. It is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. According to the World Health Organisation, “One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems.” This approach lays emphasis on the fact that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent.
While the sectors of health, food, water, energy and environment have their own specific concerns, it is the effective collaboration across sectors and disciplines which can protect health, address health specific challenges. Thus, the integration of human health, animal health and environmental health can address a wide range of current global public challenges.
The One Health approach can:
Prevent outbreaks of zoonotic disease.
Improve food safety and security.
Reduce antimicrobial-resistant infections.
Protect biodiversity and conservation.
By promoting collaboration across all sectors, a One Health approach can achieve the best health outcomes for people, animals, and plants in a shared environment. By establishing the intrinsic link between humans, animals and the environment, One Health aims to address the full spectrum of disease control – from prevention to detection, preparedness, response and management – and contribute to global health security.
One of our projects in the One Health domain includes supporting a state government to monitor the health and wellbeing of lakes, widely considered the lifeblood of a city’s ecosystem. Through a deeper understanding of the health of the lakes, it ensures the safety of this precious resource. This project aims to promote wastewater regeneration to improve livelihoods, agriculture and the flora and fauna around water bodies, thereby influencing the overall health of the ecosystem.
Our goal?
To bridge the gap between science and policy, provide vital insights for safe water reuse, think informed decisions on wastewater management, protect farmer well-being, and safeguard environmental health. By tackling interconnected challenges like environmental restoration, agricultural sustainability, pathogen control, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), we pave the way for a healthier future - one drop at a time!
We achieve this goal for the program through ONE Health Dashboard - a revolutionary tool that looks beyond standard water quality parameters to delve into critical unknowns, specifically the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
Revolutionising Water Management: Harnessing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Public Health and Environmental Well-being
At Swasti, we leverage the power of GIS to drive innovation, which aims at revolutionising the assessment and utilisation of water resources for ecological, agricultural sustenance and public health action.
Our cutting-edge ArcGIS-powered dashboards offer insights into critical parameters affecting water quality and ecosystem health. These interactive platforms visualise:
Antibiotic Resistance Mapping: Visualising antibiotic resistance levels against geographical data provides a comprehensive view of health risks associated with water bodies.
Chemical and Heavy Metal Presence Analysis: Monitoring of chemical presence in water resources aids in monitoring adherence to permissible limits, ensuring environmental safety.
Avian Species Exploration Dashboard: Mapping the presence of diverse bird species in study areas thereby providing a holistic view of ecosystem health.
Impact and Significance:
To Know More Visit - The Ecological Health Dashboard for One Health
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