The One Health approach focuses on preventing them transmission of zoonotic diseases through implementing sustainable forest management practices, creating wildlife corridors to reduce human-wildlife interactions, and promoting biodiversity conservation as a natural barrier against disease emergence. K-BIAN has closely collaborated with various sectors, including health, agriculture, environment, and wildlife conservation to effectively address all aspects of One Health. The program involves the community members in the design and implementation of interventions thus ensuring the interventions are culturally appropriate and sustainable, and that communities benefit from the program’s outcomes.

Deforestation and habitat fragmentation disrupt the delicate balance in forest ecosystems. This can bring wild animals, often carrying zoonotic diseases, into closer contact with humans and livestock. K-BIAN, through One Health, promotes practices such as sustainable forest management and wildlife corridor creation to minimise human-wildlife interaction and reduce the risk of disease spillover. Healthy, diverse forests act as natural barriers against the emergence of infectious diseases. A rich diversity of plant and animal life fosters a stable ecosystem where pathogens struggle to survive.

K-BIAN advocates for biodiversity conservation efforts within forests, including protecting endangered species or preventing the introduction of invasive plants, micro-organisms and animals.

In forested areas of Kenya, some of the most common zoonotic diseases include brucellosis, rabies, anthrax, and Rift Valley fever. A 2022 study indicated that a significant percentage of Kenyan wildlife had been exposed to these diseases. Other notable zoonotic diseases in Kenya include trypanosomiasis, fever, and salmonellosis. Public health awareness and education are crucial to prevent the spread of these diseases, including proper handling of animals, safe consumption of animal products, and awareness of disease transmission routes.