One Health is a strong bulwark that humanity has in its quiver today in order to activate, in a combined and interdisciplinary way, defence mechanisms against the occurrence and especially the prevention of a possible new pandemic crisis.

This was pointed out, among other things, by the President/CEO of the Management Board of “Asclepius One Health” and the “Mediterranean One Health Innovation Centre” Eleni Pavlidou (MED-OHC) during her presentation in the section “The One Health policy in Greece: Action Plans and Initiatives.
Interdisciplinary and intersectoral cooperation”, organized in the framework of this year’s Delphic Cultural Heritage Days, at the Theocharakis Foundation, on Monday 8 April.

In her speech, Ms. Pavlidou pointed out that there is a strong interconnection between the prevention of pandemics, climate change and more generally all major environmental and health challenges, which has made clear the need to focus on a multi-level response strategy and especially prevention and good preparation.
Therefore, in planning for the future of the planet, the adoption of practices and strategies through the lens of one health must be taken very seriously.

Professor Serkos Haroutounian, Member of the Scientific Council of the Mediterranean One Health Innovation Centre, Professor of the Agricultural University of Athens, President of the Greek Agricultural Organization ELGO-DEMETER, Vice-President of the Executive Board of the FAO (Food Agricultural Organization) of the United Nations for Europe and Central Asia in his statement stressed, among other things, that “human health, animal health and environmental health form a single whole.
And that’s how health should be treated. Healthy populations in unhealthy environments cannot exist.
This is the cornerstone of the concept of One Health. I am optimistic that, in the coming period, the steps that will be taken in Greece will be much faster and more effective.”

The discussion was chaired by Anastasia Barbouni, Pediatrician, Doctor of Public (Health) and Social Medicine, Professor of Public Health and Vice President of the Department of Public and Community Health of the University of West Attica.
All the stakeholders who participated in the discussion and their respective speakers were:

  • Hellenic Healthy Cities Network, (Georgios Patoulis)
  • National Hellenic Research Foundation, (Dimosthenis Sarigiannis)
  • University of Ioannina, (Anna Batistatou)
  • Asclepius One Health, (Eleni Pavlidou)
  • Mediterranean One Health Innovation Centre (MED-OHC), (Serkos Haroutounian )