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A new brief from the FAO Investment Centre, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) highlights the economic benefits of investing in One Health, an integrated approach that recognises the links between human, animal, plant and ecosystem health.
The report, Financial and economic returns to investing in One Health: evidence and future directions, examines how these investments can help reduce disease burdens, healthcare costs, environmental contamination and the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The economic implications are significant: zoonotic and other infectious diseases generate costs running into billions of US dollars annually, while World Bank estimates indicate that AMR could lead to losses equivalent to around 3.8% of global GDP by 2050.
The brief argues that greater collaboration between sectors can increase the impact of investments, avoid unintended consequences and improve long-term resilience. It also identifies barriers to investment, evidence gaps and the institutional and financing mechanisms needed to expand cost-effective One Health interventions.
Animal health and Veterinary Services are identified as key elements of prevention. WOAH stresses that stronger surveillance and Veterinary Services can help detect and respond to health threats at their source, protecting animals as well as people, economies and ecosystems.
According to WOAH's 2026 State of the World's Animal Health report, infectious animal diseases are becoming increasingly complex and costly, while resources for prevention are under pressure. Bringing Veterinary Services worldwide up to international standards would require around US$2.3 billion annually, an amount equivalent to less than 0.05% of the economic losses caused by COVID-19 in a single year.
FAO, WHO and WOAH therefore underline the need to strengthen the economic evidence supporting One Health and help governments translate their priorities into concrete investment plans. Although the wider benefits of the approach are increasingly recognised, investment in One Health initiatives remains limited. Stronger evidence on returns is considered essential to maintain political commitment and attract greater involvement from financing institutions.
25 August 2026/ WOAH.
https://www.woah.org
