The role of environmental health in One Health: A Uganda perspective

BACKGROUND: One Health is the integrative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment. As the human population continues to increase across the world, the interface of people, animals and the environment becomes more significant and impactful. For the past few years, the One Health concept has brought together experts in the areas of animal and human health. It has provided a new synthesis for public health and veterinary communities across the world. One Health initiatives have majorly focused on veterinarians, medical doctors and public health professionals. However, the Environmental Health profession has a major role to play in One Health activities based on Uganda's experiences. CONTRIBUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TO ONE HEALTH: In Uganda, Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) carry out several duties that contribute towards One Health. These include: inspection of animals before slaughter (antemortem) and meat in abattoirs (postmortem); inspection of meat in butcheries; destruction of condemned meat; disease surveillance; outbreak investigation and control of zoonoses; control of vectors and vermin such as rats, fleas, mosquitoes and monkeys; health education on pertinent issues such as vaccination of dogs; and food safety including meat and milk. EHPs also play an important role in prevention, detection and abatement of microbial and chemical pollution of land, air and water sources that have created new threats to the health of both animals and humans. EHPs carry out house to house inspections on water, sanitation and hygiene hence involved in abating nuisances at households that could pose a threat to public health. Such threats could be emerging from the environment including animals. Enforcement of public health legislation is also a key contribution of EHPs to One Health in Uganda. CONCLUSION: EHPs play an important role in disease surveillance, prevention and control. Therefore, Environmental Health professionals should be involved as stakeholders in local, national and global One Health initiatives.