Let's Move Towards Planetary Health, a 'Greater One Health'

In a world grappling with incessant conflicts and escalating health crises, the concept of "One Health" has emerged as a crucial framework for tackling diseases like Ebola, avian flu, and COVID-19. This approach, which fosters collaboration among medical, veterinary, and environmental sciences, was recently highlighted at the G7 summit in Lyon. However, as Professor Shin Young-jeon of Hanyang University's College of Medicine argues in this Hankyoreh column, the current "One Health" model is still too narrow. He posits that we need a "Greater One Health" that expands our definition of well-being to encompass not just physical, mental, and social aspects, but also spiritual dimensions and, crucially, peace.

Professor Shin critiques the lingering influence of eugenics in health concepts, advocating instead for an acceptance of imperfection as inherent to all existence. He stresses the importance of "spiritual well-being," not in a religious sense, but as the profound care and dedication that cannot be replicated by technology, citing the example of a doctor tending to a sick child in a resource-scarce clinic. Furthermore, he argues that peace must be an integral component of global health, decrying the immense loss of young lives in conflicts like those in Ukraine and Gaza. The current "One Health" paradigm, he contends, fails to adequately address the suffering caused by war and environmental degradation.

The call for a "Greater One Health" extends to recognizing the shared destiny of all peoples, regardless of nationality, and embracing the well-being of non-sentient elements like soil, water, air, and fire. This holistic vision, which some refer to as "planetary health," acknowledges our fundamental dependence on these natural resources. The author draws a parallel to the World Health Organization's 1978 Alma-Ata declaration of "Health for All," suggesting it should be reinterpreted as "Health for All Beings."

While the idea of "Greater One Health" might sound abstract, Professor Shin asserts its critical importance in navigating the complex challenges of our time, from pandemics and climate change to widespread societal discord. He argues that these issues cannot be solved by artificial intelligence alone, but rather stem from a limited perspective. The column concludes with a powerful call to action: to draw a circle and consciously decide what to include within it, recognizing that this choice will shape the future of humanity and the planet.