When silos cannot be broken: Rethinking integration and coexistence in one health

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Global Health Security

Background:

• One Health promotes collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.
• The concept often emphasizes 'breaking down silos' between disciplines and institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the 'breaking down silos' narrative in One Health.
• To re-evaluate the role of silos in collaborative frameworks.
• To propose alternative strategies for effective One Health implementation.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of the assumptions behind the 'breaking down silos' concept.
• Exploration of how various types of silos (institutional, disciplinary, data, geographical, cultural) impact One Health practice.
• Identification of mechanisms for fostering interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration.

Main Results:

• Silos are not solely barriers; they serve as repositories of expertise and maintain institutional coherence.
• Different types of silos present unique challenges and opportunities for One Health.
• Effective One Health requires building sustainable bridges for coordination, not complete silo elimination.

Conclusions:

• One Health should focus on creating 'bridges' to connect specialized knowledge and governance systems.
• Successful collaboration involves negotiating productive coexistence between diverse knowledge forms.
• Sustainable One Health practice necessitates managing silos to leverage expertise while enabling coordination.