Toward a One Health Region: Stakeholder insights from Western Pomerania’s Innovation Alliance in Germany

To establish a One Health Region, where human, animal, and environmental health are integrated into all decision-making processes, input from local stakeholders is essential. Their insights help identify the key transformation processes required for systemic change. Findings from Western Pomerania highlight the need to clarify the concept’s scope and enhance its relevance across various sectors.The One Health approach is crucial for addressing complex environmental and health issues by considering the interdependencies between human, animal, and environmental health. The T!Raum alliance “One Health Region Western Pomerania” aims to implement One Health principles in the region of Western Pomerania in the northeast of Germany through transdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge transfer. In this article, we explore the transformation processes necessary to establish a One Health Region from the perspectives of local stakeholders. Qualitative interviews with 32 regional stakeholders from various sectors revealed a range of issues. Key objectives identified include the promotion of regionality, enhancement of collaboration and networking, raising awareness and imparting knowledge, advancement in medical care and general health services, and improvement of local public transport and related transportation infrastructure.