Step aside, Marvel and DC. There’s a real-world league of heroes made up of physicians, veterinarians, ecologists, researchers, public health professionals, policymakers, social workers, and other professionals who protect public health in Illinois and around the world.
The enemies they fight? Pandemics and other disease outbreaks, scarcity of health care resources, and barriers to sharing health data between disciplines.
‘One Health’ Leaders Unite
On December 4 and 5, a who’s who of Illinois health leaders participated in a workshop organized by Drs. Will Sander and Sulagna Chakraborty from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. The workshop sought to anticipate and solve health challenges in the state using a “One Health” approach.
“This approach acknowledges that human, animal, and environmental health are inextricably linked and interconnected,” explains Dr. Sander. “For that reason, our most pressing and emerging challenges require many disciplines to work collaboratively to find solutions.”
The more than 60 attendees included the state’s chief medical officer, the state veterinarian, and representatives from the FBI, the Farm Bureau, Extension, FEMA, USDA, Lincoln Park Zoo, and many academic institutions. Invited speakers included Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health; Dr. Beth Lipton, state public health veterinarian for Washington state, which recently conducted a similar needs assessment; and Dr. Cheryl Stroud, director of the One Health Commission.
An Ongoing Effort
During the workshop, participants assessed the needs in Illinois related to zoonotic diseases and outbreak response, agriculture and animal husbandry, environment, climate change, access to healthcare, antimicrobial resistance, and data interoperability.
“Participants felt energized to take the next steps in building coalitions. We will be shaping prioritized solutions over the coming months to improve the health of all species across Illinois,” says Dr. Sander. “While this is just the first step to an ongoing effort in One Health, everyone agreed that we can do more together than working apart.”
Faculty from the University of Illinois have also been partnering with state senators on a proposed bill, to be introduced in early 2025, that will establish a One Health framework for the state of Illinois. This measure could formalize recurring annual meetings, such as this one, with stakeholders in the state.
