HAPPEN for one health is a participatory action strategy in healthcare.
I have long felt that in healthcare the most important aspect is partnership. The healthcare provider and the recipient must have a shared vision of “Salutogenesis” literally the formation of health. This creates a sense of coherence that has three components: (1) Comprehension: A clear understanding of the health condition; (2) Capacity: An ability to cope with the health condition; (3) Capability: An ability to have a purposeful life with autonomy and dignity. This partnership is a long-term relationship and not transactional. As a health care provider, it is important to commit to a respectful partnership always cognizant of individual autonomy and dignity. As a doctor it is my duty to participate in learning together with my partner so that knowledge leads to empowerment. In HAPPEN it is our endeavor to use a participatory action strategy advancing health creating partnerships amongst empowered peers integrated in a network of bonding and bridging with linkages across communities. HAPPEN is a tool to create a vision of “One Health”, where our very existence and “Human Health” rests on a foundation of preservation and enhancement of the environment along with proper care of animals. It is my core belief that the vision of “One Health” must be anchored in social justice. Health is a key determinant of human development and equity in health is a fundamental human right.
Power is an illusion; authority is a delusion; RESPONSIBILITY is REALITY.
Vijay V. Yeldandi, M.D., FACP, FCCP, FIDSA