From institutional adoption to operational integration: current challenges in One Health implementation

The increasing emergence of zoonotic and infectious diseases has reinforced the consolidation of the One Health approach as one of the most influential frameworks in contemporary global health. By recognizing the interconnectedness between human, animal, and environmental health, One Health has progressively become integrated into international health governance strategies, surveillance programs, and pandemic preparedness initiatives. However, despite its growing institutional adoption, concerns remain regarding the practical implementation and operationalization of the concept across health systems and surveillance structures. This mini review examines current challenges associated with the translation of One Health from a broadly accepted conceptual framework into an effective operational model. Recent literature suggests that important barriers persist, including fragmented governance structures, limited interdisciplinary coordination, insufficient data-sharing mechanisms, and heterogeneous surveillance systems. The review further discusses leptospirosis and leishmaniasis as representative examples of zoonotic diseases that illustrate both the necessity of integrated One Health approaches and the practical difficulties involved in sustaining effective interdisciplinary collaboration. The literature analyzed suggests that the rapid expansion of One Health as an institutional and political concept may, in some contexts, be advancing more rapidly than the development of functional operational integration. Consequently, there is a risk that One Health becomes predominantly a strategic or rhetorical framework unless accompanied by sustained structural changes in surveillance, governance, and intersectoral coordination. Strengthening operational mechanisms and interdisciplinary collaboration will likely be essential for the future effectiveness and credibility of One Health initiatives.