Strengthening One Health: Global Applications of the Joint Risk Assessment Operational Tool

Risk assessment is critical for managing health threats at the human-animal-environment interface, yet sector-specific approaches can result in fragmented actions. To address this gap, the Joint Risk Assessment Operational Tool (JRA OT), an operational tool of the Tripartite Zoonoses Guide, was developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Organization for Animal Health. The JRA OT provides a structured framework for joint qualitative risk assessments that integrate multisectoral expertise to identify risk pathways, assess likelihood and impact, and develop consensus-based risk management and communication options. Surveillance systems play a critical role in this process by providing the multisectoral data needed to inform risk assessments, while the JRA process helps identify information gaps and guide the strengthening of integrated One Health surveillance. Implemented in at least 52 countries, the JRA OT has informed national mandates in Indonesia, Viet Nam, and Tanzania, regional strategies in West Africa, and adaptations in Canada. Cascade training has been used to build subnational capacity to facilitate roll out. Sustained leadership commitment, multisectoral coordination, routine applications, local adaptation, and capacity building remain essential for global implementation.