The Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge have taken a joint step to improve the country's response to diseases transmitted between animals and humans. With a new framework for collaboration, the Government is committed to a Coordination model for zoonoses based on the One Health approachwhich directly connects human health, animal health, and environmental protection.
This agreement, signed in Madrid, is part of the need to have more agile mechanisms for the early detection and management of emerging health threatsRecent experience with different health crises has highlighted that risks do not move in watertight compartments and that surveillance must be shared between the health, veterinary and environmental sectors.
A common framework for addressing zoonoses from a One Health perspective
At the heart of this new approach are zoonoses, infections that can pass from animals to humans and vice versaand whose prevention requires a collaborative approach from various sectors. The Government acknowledges that these diseases cannot be managed solely through human or animal health measures, but also require integrating the environmental dimension, from land use to biodiversity.
The agreement signed between the three ministries sets as its main objective improve early detection and strengthen coordinated response capacity in the event of any sign of zoonotic risk. The idea is to make the most of existing structures, avoiding duplication and without interfering with surveillance systems that have been operating for years in each area.
To achieve this, joint work between the public health surveillance networks and the veterinary health alert systemThis connection aims to make information flow more quickly and to ensure that any signs appearing in animals or in the environment can be taken into account immediately by health authorities.
The One Health approach that inspires this agreement aligns with major international guidelines. Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WHO), FAO and UNEP They work together through the so-called Quadripartite Alliance, which promotes precisely this integrated vision of health.
At European level, the Spanish initiative is part of the construction of a European Health Union incorporating the concept of “One Health” in preparing for and responding to serious cross-border health threats. Spain thus seeks to align itself with these EU strategies and take advantage of existing cooperation frameworks.
Creation of a Zoonotic Risk Management Committee
The central instrument of the new agreement is the Zoonotic Risk Management CommitteeThis committee, conceived as the body responsible for coordinating the actions of the three sectors involved—human health, animal health, and the environment—was created with the mission of serving as a stable meeting point between administrations and levels of government.
Among the functions entrusted to this Committee is the possibility of sharing strategic information between Administrationsso that relevant data on potential threats is not scattered across departments. Furthermore, it will serve as a platform for coordinating institutional responses when health alerts are triggered or risk indicators emerge.
The new body will also be responsible for coordinate actions in response to health alertspromoting joint prevention, surveillance, and control plans. This includes, for example, agreeing on shared protocols for outbreaks of animal origin that could impact the population, or for environmental changes that favor the spread of certain pathogens.
Another key task of the Committee will be to propose regulatory improvements and communication strategiesThe intention is to review, when necessary, the regulatory framework and available information tools, in order to adapt them to the evolution of risks and the experience accumulated in the management of recent health crises.
As for its composition, the body will be made up of Representatives of the Directorates General of the three signatory ministriesHowever, the agreement opens the door to incorporating other institutions, spokespeople from the autonomous communities who are already experts in specific matters, so that specific technical profiles can be used depending on each situation.
Strengthening surveillance, research and laboratories
One of the pillars of the agreement is the strengthening existing surveillance systemsThe Government insists that it is not about creating parallel structures, but about better connecting those that already work in different areas, facilitating the rapid flow of information and enabling it to be interpreted collectively.
In this regard, priority is given to improvement of intersectoral communicationThis involves establishing clearer and more frequent channels between public health services, veterinary authorities, and departments responsible for the environment, so that any warning signs can be shared without delays or administrative barriers.
The agreement also includes the promotion of applied research to the detection and management of zoonotic risksThe aim is to support projects that integrate clinical, veterinary and environmental data, as well as studies on the circulation of pathogens in wildlife, livestock and human populations.
A key element will be the coordination of the reference laboratoriesThese centers play a crucial role in case confirmation, infectious agent characterization, and genomic surveillance. The goal is for these centers to network, share results, and have harmonized procedures that facilitate data comparison.
Furthermore, the agreement provides for defining joint actions in risk scenariosso that preventive or control measures can be activated using common criteria. This includes everything from coordinated animal sampling campaigns to shared recommendations for the public, as well as adjustments to the management of certain natural areas when necessary.
A comprehensive approach adaptable to new risks
The commitment undertaken by the signatory ministries translates into a commitment to protecting public health from a comprehensive perspectivethat is not limited to traditional healthcare. The link between human health, animal health, and the environment is at the heart of decision-making, with the aim of better anticipating risks.
The Government emphasizes that this framework for collaboration will allow adjust actions to the evolution of health threatsAs transmission patterns change or new pathogens emerge, the system must be able to review strategies and adapt public policies without starting from scratch each time.
The participation of the autonomous communities and international organizations is considered essential for the responses should be consistent across territories and levels of governanceIn a context where health risks easily cross borders, coordination becomes an essential tool.
At the same time, the reference to the European environment places this agreement within a broader effort to strengthen the resilience of health systemsThe European Union has been working on common frameworks for crisis preparedness and response, and the integration of the One Health approach is one of the central pieces of that strategy.
With this new Committee and the agreement that supports it, Spain consolidates a permanent coordination structure for zoonosesThis system combines surveillance, information sharing, response capacity, and regulatory updates. The intention is that, in the face of future zoonotic threats, the country will have a more finely tuned system linking human health, animal health, and environmental protection, reducing reaction times and improving the effectiveness of the measures adopted.
