Science in One Health (SOH), an international peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research across human, animal, and environmental health, participated in a landmark side event during the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 18 to 23.
The side event, titled “One Health for All to Improve Global Public Health,” was jointly organized by the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association (CPMA) and the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA). It brought together representatives from international organizations, government agencies, academic institutions, and public health communities to discuss emerging challenges and collaborative solutions in global One Health governance.
Participants from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), WFPHA, and multiple national health agencies attended the meeting. Chinese representatives included Shen Hongbing, Academician and Vice Minister of China’s National Health Commission and head of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration; Wang Jianwei, Academician and Director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Jiao Zhenquan, Director of the Department of Monitoring and Early Warning at the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration; Ren Minghui, Dean of the Institute for Global Health at Peking University; Li Shizhu, Director of the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (National Center for Tropical Diseases) at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Academician Shen Hongbing, Director of China’s National Disease Control and Prevention Administration (6th from left), Academician Wang Jianwei, Director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (5th from left), and Li Shizhu, Director of the National Center for Tropical Diseases Research at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (4th from right), pose for a group photo with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine delegation at the WHA79 side event. Delegation members from left to right: Zheng Jinxin, He Lu, Yin Kun, Zhou Xiaonong, Han Lefei, Zhang Xiaoxi, and Ran Jinjun.
A key outcome of the side event was the endorsement of the Geneva Principles for One Health Implementation, which call for strengthened cross-sector collaboration and integrated governance across human, animal, and environmental health systems. The discussions highlighted the growing international consensus that One Health approaches are essential for addressing emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, and climate-related health risks.
Representing SOH, Editor-in-Chief Prof. Zhou Xiaonong and junior editorial board member Dr. Han Lefei presented recent findings from the Global One Health Index (GOHI) 2025 and its associated databases. Their presentation emphasized the persistent gap between global policy consensus and implementation capacity, underscoring the need for measurable evaluation tools and evidence-informed governance frameworks.
Prof. Zhou Xiaonong presents the overall design concept and indicator framework of the Global One Health Index (GOHI) 2025 at the WHA79 side event.
During the event, SOH editorial team member Dr. Zhang Xiaoxi engaged in discussions with representatives from WHO, FAO, WFPHA, and international delegates on topics including One Health evaluation systems, real-world evidence, cross-national comparisons, and the role of academic publishing in supporting evidence-based policymaking.
Assistant Researcher Han Lefei presents methodological innovations and the application system prototype of GOHI at the WHA79 side event.
Additional SOH representatives attending the event included Deputy Editor Dr. Yin Kun, Editorial Director He Lu, and junior editorial board members Ran Jinjun and Zheng Jinxin.
As an international academic platform in the One Health field, SOH remains committed to promoting interdisciplinary dialogue, methodological innovation, and global collaboration. The journal will continue to support the integration of scientific evidence into public health governance and contribute to advancing One Health implementation worldwide.
SOH participated in a landmark side event during the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva
Source:
Editorial Office of Science in One Health
