Role and Impact of Holistic One Health Approaches for Protecting Public Health in the Era of Climate Change in South Asia

Climate changes, decrease forests, rapid urban growth, and global warming facilitate the spread of animal borne diseases and antibiotic resistance in South Asia. Under variable weather conditions and ecosystem imbalance, the animals tend to lose their natural niches and rely on human populations and related societies, which in turn cause transmission of infectious diseases from wild life to humans. To address these health concerns and challenges associated with interconnectedness among animals, humans, and environment, One Health approach has been rated as most suitable strategy to tackle these multidisciplinary issues. Surveillance systems, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and early disease detection methods facilitate the development of early disease warning signs to protect life on land from emerging and reemerging infectious diseases in South Asia or lower middle-income countries. In these countries, the interdepartmental research collaboration is weak and stakeholders related to climate changes and environment sector work in silos under budgetary constraints. South Asia, therefore, must empower and operationalize the holistic One Health approach not only at district or regional levels, but also at national levels in the form of legislative policy to sustain global health and tackle emerging issues of climate changes and health emergencies. Developing technologies, raising community awareness, and community-centered approaches will protect climatic issues from future disease threats. The South Asian region can mitigate climate-sensitive diseases, stabilize ecosystems, and secure long-term public health goals using One Health based research and developmental projects. Success pertaining to good climatic conditions hinges on trans-disciplinary collaboration, data sharing, mutually agreed environmental policy, and equitable resource allocation. With coordinated actions, South Asia can transform its vulnerability into resilience, safeguarding both populations and ecosystems from escalating climate-health risks.