One Health

One Health: Protecting People, Animals, and Our Environment Together  

One Health is a collaborative, multi-sectoral, and transdisciplinary approach that recognises the connection between public health, animal health, and the environment. This unifying framework is used to tackle complex and inter-connected health threats between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment such as zoonotic diseases (illnesses that can be transmitted from animal to humans), antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and challenges to food safety and security. 

Illustration by OHHLEP

Singapore’s One Health Framework and Key Agencies 

Singapore's One Health Framework, established in 2012, represents a multisectoral collaborative platform designed to address public health threats at the human-animal-environment interface. The framework enables Singapore to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and learn from cross-sectoral public health challenges through integrated cooperation. The framework comprises five key agencies: the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), Singapore Food Agency (SFA), National Parks Board (NParks), National Environment Agency (NEA), and PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency. 

Singapore’s One Health Framework

Using a One Health approach, AVS plays a pivotal role in safeguarding animal health and welfare, ensuring that both animals and humans remain protected from zoonotic diseases and other public health threats.

For example, through its comprehensive biosurveillance system, AVS conducts rigorous surveillance of key animal diseases to monitor, detect, prevent and control the spread of notable zoonoses. AVS also actively engages in regional and international One Health initiatives, collaborating with intergovernmental organizations like the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to address shared health challenges and enhance global health security.  

For more information on Singapore’s One Health framework and initiatives, please visit the Communicable Disease Agency’s website here.