Governor Jon Bel Edwards Declares November as Louisiana One Health Month
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2019
Gov. Jon Bel Edwards Declares November as “One Health Month” in Louisiana
Amy LeBoeuf- Founder/Director Louisiana One Health in Action, Co-Chair One Health Education- US Team, Louisiana Public Educator
Kristi Bult- Secretary Louisiana One Health in Action, Former Louisiana Public Educator, Analytical Technologist Dow Chemical Company
Maureen Kelly- Treasurer Louisiana One Health in Action, Grants Specialist Calcasieu Parish School Board, Louisiana Public Educator
LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana – The organization, Louisiana One Health in Action, announced today that Louisiana Governor Jon Bel Edwards has declared the month of November as “One Health Month” in Louisiana by way of a gubernatorial proclamation. The Proclamation was signed by the Governor in Baton Rouge on November 1, 2019. “This proclamation recognizes the many students and professionals across Louisiana that work to promote the concept of One Health. The proclamation serves as a call to action for the implementation of a transdisciplinary approach to raising awareness and education of One Health issues among the general public and students in grades K-12 and a One Health approach to disease prevention among medical, public health, and educational communities” said Amy LeBoeuf, Founder and Director of Louisiana One Health in Action. “Raising awareness of the importance of a One Health approach to health and wellbeing is imperative to keeping Louisianians, our pets and wildlife, and our environment healthy.
The proclamation language is as follows:
“TITLE: Proclaiming November 2019 as Louisiana One Health Month
PURPOSE OF PROCLAMATION: To support, strengthen and expand One Health-related efforts in Louisiana, and to increase awareness of One Health principles to improve human health, veterinary health, agriculture, and land stewardship.
WHEREAS: The International One Health Day is November 3rd and is initiated by the One Health Commission, the One Health Platform, and the One Health Initiative Team, International One Health Day is officially celebrated around the world every year; and
WHEREAS: One Health is defined as the collaborative effort of multiple health and social science professions, together with their related disciplines and institutions – working locally, nationally, and globally – to attain optimal health for people, domestic animals, wildlife, and our environment; and
WHEREAS: One Health as an approach to solving problems has gained the support of bodies including, but not limited to the World Health Organization, the United States Department of Agriculture, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Food and Drug Administration; and
WHEREAS: A One Health approach can lead to improved disease surveillance and prevention, fully collaborative health education and research, and more rapid development of effective therapies and health-related products; and
WHEREAS: Louisiana is a national leader in developing solutions to many interconnected problems that impact the health of humans, animals, and the environment that include environmental effects on crop yields, ecological and climatological impacts on the Gulf Coast, diseases transmissible between humans and domestic animals, economic factors impacting the availability of healthcare, water quality issues; and
WHEREAS: Solving these problems requires the concerted efforts of many professionals and trainees working and studying in fields such as human and veterinary medicine, biomedical research, environmental sciences, statistics, economics, agronomy, social sciences, and engineering; and
WHEREAS: Louisiana can reap the benefits of One Health collaborations among professionals but all Louisianians must realize their individual role as a fellow stakeholder through a concerted effort of increased public awareness and education by One Health advocates and educators so as to continue these benefits for future generations.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, John Bel Edwards, Governor of the State of Louisiana, do hereby proclaim the month of November 2019, as Louisiana One Health Month
And call upon the people of Louisiana to support, strengthen and expand One Health-related efforts in Louisiana”
About Louisiana One Health In Action:
Louisiana One Health In Action is a community of advocates who want to foster the One Health Initiative by raising public awareness of One Health issues and providing opportunities to partner human, animal, and environmental health on a grass roots level. One Health is defined as the collaborative effort of multiple health and social science professions, together with their related disciplines and institutions – working locally, nationally, and globally – to attain optimal health for people, domestic animals, wildlife, and our environment.
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We are grateful to Governor Edwards for supporting Louisiana’s path to becoming a leader in One Health.” The purpose of this Proclamation is to support, strengthen, and expand One Health-related efforts in Louisiana, and to increase awareness of One Health principles to improve human health, veterinary health, agriculture, and land stewardship.
