Every year on April 7, the world marks World Health Day, a tradition that began with the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. For nearly eight decades, this day has served a dual purpose: Celebrating humanity’s remarkable progress in public health, while drawing attention to the challenges that still demand urgent action.

This year’s theme, ‘Together for health. Stand with science’ is a timely reminder that collaboration and trust in science remain the foundation of public health. Over the past century, scientific innovation has transformed human health—saving millions of lives, extending life expectancy and improving quality of life. The future, however, will be determined by how effectively we continue to apply science and evidence-based approaches to protect not only human health, but also the well-being of animals, plants, ecosystems, and the planet as a whole.

Recent global health threats illustrate why this broader perspective is essential. The Covid-19 pandemic, the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and outbreaks of zoonotic diseases such as Ebola, Nipah virus and avian influenza have revealed how vulnerable societies are to threats that emerge at the intersection of human, animal and environmental health.

Scientists estimate that nearly three-quarters of new infectious diseases in humans originate in animals. Health can thus no longer be understood solely as the treatment of illness; it must also encompass how we manage these complex interconnections. This is the essence of the One Health approach, which recognises that the health of people, animals, plants and the environment are deeply interconnected.

For Nepal, this perspective is especially relevant. The country’s diverse ecosystems and rich biodiversity are a source of national pride, yet they also increase exposure to health risks at the human- animal-environment interface, including diseases such as rabies, avian influenza and Japanese encephalitis. At the same time, climate change, rapid urbanisation and land-use changes are intensifying these risks, while AMR continues to erode the effectiveness of antimicrobial medicines used to treat humans, animals and plants.

These complex challenges demand coordinated action across public health, veterinary services, agriculture and environmental management, an approach strongly reinforced by global frameworks such as the Quadripartite One Health Joint Plan of Action, which brings together the WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to advance a shared vision for health.

Encouragingly, Nepal has already taken some important steps in this direction. Aligned with the global framework, the National One Health Strategy (2019) has helped institutionalise collaboration across human, animal and environmental health sectors. Mechanisms such as the Federal One Health Steering Committee and Provincial One Health Coordination Committees are creating platforms for coordination and translating policy commitments into practice.

National programmes, including the Multisectoral National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and the National Strategic Plan for Rabies Elimination, have embodied the core principles of the One Health approach by promoting cross-sectoral responses to shared health threats. Scientific collaboration is also enhancing laboratory and surveillance capacities, with joint initiatives underway to enhance the detection of high-risk zoonotic viruses such as Nipah, while integrated platforms and joint training programmes are strengthening surveillance for zoonotic diseases and AMR.

Nepal has also benefited from joint assessments that support stronger health security. The Joint External Evaluation (JEE) under WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHR) and the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) assessment have provided complementary reviews of public health and veterinary systems. The IHR-PVS National Bridging Workshop helped translate these findings into practical collaboration. Global monitoring platforms such as States Parties Self-Assessment Annual Reporting (SPAR) and the Tracking AMR Country Self-Assessment Survey (TrACSS) enable Nepal to track progress and strengthen multisectoral capacities to address health security and AMR.

These national efforts reflect an important shift: A growing recognition that health security depends on sustained cooperation and collaboration across sectors and alignment. Yet, challenges remain. Coordination mechanisms require stronger institutional mandates and sustained political commitment. Data sharing is still limited, financing remains fragmented, and environmental and wildlife sectors are yet to be fully integrated into national One Health platforms.

To advance One Health in Nepal, four priority areas could be considered. First, securing high-level political commitment and sustainable financing is essential, as cross-sectoral initiatives often fall between budgets and risk underfunding. Second, strengthening integrated surveillance systems that enable real-time data sharing across human, animal and environmental health sectors would support timely action. Third, investing in building a multidisciplinary scientific workforce through joint training and collaborative platforms would build long-term capacity. Finally, integrating climate change and ecosystem health into national health planning would ensure that protecting forests, water systems and wildlife habitats becomes fundamental to disease prevention.

Strengthening One Health is not only about outbreak response. It is about building resilient systems that protect health, food security, biodiversity and economic stability. In a world where the next pandemic could emerge from complex interactions between humans, animals and ecosystems, the stakes are high. On this World Health Day, the WHO calls on Nepal to stand with science—by turning evidence into action, investing in resilient systems, and working across sectors to protect the health of people, animals, plants and the planet. The WHO stands ready to support this effort with technical assistance, partnerships and global collaboration.