Beyond Aid: Why One Health Is the Future of Global Health Financing

In an era of shrinking overseas development assistance (ODA), global health programmes confront unprecedented funding gaps. These shifts in donor priorities and continuing economic uncertainty do not suggest this will be a temporary situation, so the question is not just how to fund essential services—but how to fund them sustainably with still limited resources. One answer may lie in a concept that’s been gaining traction across countries and health sectors: the One Health approach. 

One Health may sound like a relatively new concept, some may even say a buzzword, but in reality, it’s just about approaching things by looking at the big picture, applying common sense and not downplaying the complexity of the world we live in. One Health is about taking a systems-based approach that recognises our daily interaction with animals and our environment and the interconnectedness of realizing good human, animal, and environmental health. By taking in the whole picture (the ‘system’), it can help us identify and tackle the root causes of poor health, achieving more effective and sustainable interventions.  When we are always trying our best to do more with less in global health, then this seems like an obvious path to explore.