Setting up a coordinated surveillance under the One Health approach

The majority of new emerging infectious diseases that affect humans are zoonoses. The factors that drive the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases are complex and include climate-related, ecological, political, economic and social factors. Animal health, human health and the environment are interconnected, and different ecosystems across Europe are changing in different ways.There is a need for more rapid and effective responses to zoonotic diseases. This is achievable with a conceptual shift from siloed health approaches towards One Health practices across disciplines, sectors, and agencies. The surveillance on the animal health side and in the environment needs to be scaled up to set up a One Health surveillance for emerging and re-emerging pathogens. This can only be carried out by Member States that implement the Union policies at national level, but optimally in collaboration across countries, as the threats are cross-border health threats. OH4Surveillance supports the participating countries to set up and scale up One Health surveillance to priority pathogens in an efficient, coordinated and collaborative manner. The scope of OH4Surveillance is limited to One Health surveillance aiming to protect public health through the early detection of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic pathogens in animals and environment. The setting up and scaling up activities include capacity building and surveillance activities, and is done in close collaboration with EFSA and ECDC as well as with related other projects. OH4Surveillance supports the policy priority to be better prepared to respond to cross-border health threats. OH4Surveillance contributes to the achievement of the EU4Health Programme'Äôs general objective of protecting people in the Union from serious cross-border threats to health and strengthening the responsiveness of health systems and coordination among the Member States.