Increases in population movement, climate change and habitat overlap between humans
and animals provide new opportunities and elevated risks for the emergence and spread
of diseases that adversely impact both human and animal health, as well as food security.
The One Health approach helps address shared health threats such as zoonotic diseases,
antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food safety, food security, vector-borne diseases, and
extreme weather or conflict events, which can disrupt and displace populations. Various
global initiatives also embrace a One Health approach in order to attain relevant Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), improve global health security, and comply with the International
Health Regulations (IHR).

Approximately 60% of existing and 75% of newly emerging infectious diseases in humans
are zoonotic, for example, SARS-CoV-2.13–15. Globally, zoonotic diseases are associated
with 2.5 billion cases of human illness and 2.7 million deaths annually, mostly in developing
countries.

The One Health Approach cuts across different ministries: Ministry of Health and Social
Services (MoHSS), Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) and Ministry
of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR). The collaboration between these three
ministries is a network required and prescribed by the natural existing ecosystem.
Although Namibia has managed to and contain malaria morbidity and mortality, HIV
prevalence, TB incidence, and infant and child mortality rates, zoonotic diseases have not
received the necessary attention and concerted effort required to address them. This can
only be remedied through an established One Health coordinating body.

The first ever One Health stakeholders' workshop was convened in Windhoek in 2023 for the
main purpose of developing a National One Health Framework and with the ultimate goal of
establishing a One Health coordinating body in Namibia.

This national framework lays the foundation for targeted and coordinated One Health
strategies with regard to zoonotic diseases, integrated vector control management including
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), strengthened environmental management in support
of zoonosis programmes, development of specific case management/standard operating
procedure (SOP) guidelines and capacity building, especially in the area of surveillance and
response, preceded by timely data capturing and sharing.