Why One Health struggles: A critical analysis.

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Public Health Policy
• Interdisciplinary Studies

Background:

• The One Health approach integrates human, animal, and environmental health, gaining broad institutional support.
• Despite conceptual strength, One Health implementation in practice and governance remains inconsistent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze the primary structural barriers hindering the effective implementation of the One Health approach.
• To propose an alternative framework for One Health, emphasizing collaborative practices and governance.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of existing One Health governance structures and implementation strategies.
• Examination of sectoral arrangements, educational silos, and policy logics affecting One Health integration.
• Reframing One Health through the lens of 'articulation work'.

Main Results:

• Key challenges to One Health are structural, including sectoral governance, depoliticized integration, operational ambiguity, and crisis-driven policies.
• Viewing integration as a technical task masks critical issues of power, accountability, and knowledge boundaries.
• The 'articulation work' framework highlights the need for building interfaces, communication, and shared practices.

Conclusions:

• Sustained One Health implementation requires addressing structural impediments rather than conceptual gaps.
• Reframing One Health as 'articulation work' necessitates deliberate efforts in building cross-sectoral connections.
• Long-term investment in education, organizational learning, and governance is crucial for making collaboration routine.