One Health is an integrated approach that recognizes the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants and the environment as closely connected and interdependent. It entails mobilizing diverse sectors, disciplines and communities to identify root causes early, shorten warning times and take early action against threats to health and ecosystems, while also promoting sustainable development.
To realize this approach, the government is launching a national One Health joint action plan (2026-2030), aiming to build cooperation mechanisms and capacity for One Health implementation through interministerial and cross-sector collaborations, as well as proactive resource integration. Under the plan, comprehensive risk assessments will be conducted by linking human, animal, plant, climate and environmental monitoring systems, and health threats will be addressed by deploying necessary resources to enhance real-time detection and response capabilities. The initiative advances the goals of the government's "Healthy Taiwan" policy vision and strengthens the nation's resilience to epidemics.
Six key actions
1. Strengthen One Health implementation across humans, animals, plants and the environment by integrating institutional frameworks: Establish cross-sectoral governance at the national level, and enhance the nation's public health security system by applying internationally recognized assessment tools.
2. Reduce outbreak and pandemic risks linked to emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases: Integrate efforts to monitor major zoonotic diseases, strengthen response capabilities and cultivate interdisciplinary talent. Promote technological R&D and upgrade epidemic prevention capabilities across industries.
3. Control and eliminate regional zoonotic diseases, neglected tropical diseases and vector-borne diseases: Establish a surveillance platform for flying blood-feeding vectors, conduct sero-epidemiological studies on vector-borne infectious diseases, and improve risk assessment and surveillance of vector- and environment-related diseases.
4. Enhance risk evaluation, management and communication for food safety: Implement monitoring of food production processes and management of microbial risk, leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for border inspections and reinforce food import safety. Promote alignment of regulations and systems with international standards.
5. Curb global spread of antibiotic resistance: Enhance the interdisciplinary surveillance network for antibiotic resistance, introduce innovative AI technologies and integrate surveillance data on antibiotic supply chains.
6. Integrate environmental considerations into One Health approach: Strengthen pollution control and risk management, and safeguard biodiversity, food security and public health.