Planetary health education in Africa: Building on longstanding One Health frameworks

Recent discussions of Planetary Health education in Africa highlight the need for interdisciplinary approaches to address climate change, environmental degradation, and complex health challenges. While this emphasis is timely and important, it is equally important to recognize that many of the principles underpinning Planetary Health have long been operationalized across the continent through One Health frameworks, multisectoral governance systems, and interdisciplinary educational initiatives. This commentary argues that Planetary Health and One Health are highly complementary approaches that share a commitment to systems thinking, cross-sector collaboration, and addressing interconnected threats to human, animal, and environmental health. Drawing on examples from regional One Health networks and national experiences such as Rwanda, we highlight Africa's longstanding contributions to integrated health governance and education. We suggest that future Planetary Health initiatives in Africa should build upon existing One Health foundations, ensuring that African institutions are recognized not only as implementation sites but also as intellectual leaders in advancing integrated approaches to health.