One Health – Health only works together

On 16.05.2022, representatives from various areas and institutions in and around Bad Waldsee met on the premises of SaluVet GmbH to exchange ideas on the topic of “One Health – Health only works together”

The aim of the event was to find out which common aspects and ideas already exist in order to create more awareness for the topic of One Health here in Bad Waldsee and the region. The focus was on the area of health & nutrition and the question of how the topic can be made more accessible to the general public.
SaluVet GmbH’s invitation to an initial, interdisciplinary exchange was accepted not only by MdL Raimund Haser but also by representatives of the city of Bad Waldsee, including the Lord Mayor Matthias Henne, Shqipe Karagja (Office for Economic Development) and Helga Lorinser (Head of the Fairtrade Steering Group). Katharina Eckel from the Organic Model Region Ravensburg, Dr. Robert Gayer, Head of the Veterinary and Consumer Protection Office Ravensburg, Ivanka Seitz (Head of the Swabian Farmers’ School) and Josef Wild as representative of the Farmers’ Association Allgäu-Oberschwaben e. V., were other important organisations and institutions. Two sisters of the Franciscan nuns from the Reute monastery provided regional impulses and perspectives, as did Rudi Spieß, owner and chef of the restaurant Zur Versteigerungshalle, and farmer Klaus Oberhofer. Representatives e.g. from the rehabilitation clinics, the Bad Waldsee schools, the Kneipp association or the nutrition centre could not attend due to time constraints.

After a warm welcome by Dr Sandra Graf-Schiller, Managing Director of SaluVet GmbH, there was first a keynote speech by Raimund Haser, Member of the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg. He explained that now is a good time for One Health, as various institutions and working groups, including the newly founded commission of enquiry “Crisis-proof Society”, are currently dealing intensively with the topic of health at the political level. His commitment to the topic and the will to make a difference was clearly noticeable.
Afterwards, Dr Sandra Graf-Schiller explained what is behind the term One Health and what it is essentially about (see box).
Supplied with this information, all participants were asked to exchange ideas and to note down what already exists in and around Bad Waldsee on the topic, or what is still missing and should be urgently addressed. It quickly became clear that there are many ideas and approaches on how the topic of health and nutrition can be brought more into the focus and awareness of the population.
There were discussions about educational offers such as cooking courses to learn how to cook (again) and how leftovers can be used to counteract food waste. Or what possibilities there are to make the food in school canteens or in hospitals more regional and healthier.
At the end of the meeting, everyone agreed that it cannot remain a one-off meeting, but that a permanent working group should be formed and a network built up. Other interested persons, organisations or associations who were not present at the first meeting are welcome to join in and participate as well. How and by whom exactly the further organisation will start remained open at first. However, Raimund Haser could imagine using his political influence and also acting as a patron, ideally together with the mayor of Bad Waldsee, to push this important issue forward.

Matthias Henne, Mayor of Bad Waldsee, Dr. Sandra Graf-Schiller, Managing Director SaluVet GmbH, Raimund Haser, Member of the State Parliament, Volker Schwarz, Managing Director SaluVet GmbH (l.t.r.)

At the launch event on 16.05.2022, Bad Waldsee’s mayor Matthias Henne (not on the picture), Shqipe Karagja (Office for Economic Development), Helga Lorinser (Head of the Fairtrade Steering Group), Raimund Haser, Franziskanerinnen Sr. Dagmar Roth and Sr. Franziska Bachmann from Reute Monastery, Klaus Oberhofer, farmer from Bad Waldsee, Rudi Spieß, restaurant “Zur Versteigerungshalle”, Katharina Eckel, Bio-Musterregion RV, Dr. Robert Gayer, Head of the Veterinary and Consumer Protection Office RV, Ivanka Seitz, Head of the Swabian Farmers’ School Bad Waldsee, Josef Wild, Bauernverband Allgäu-Oberschwaben e. V., Management Volker Schwarz and Dr. Sandra Graf-Schiller as well as members of the AG One Health of SaluVet GmbH.

Contact data:
SaluVet GmbH
Stahlstrasse 5
88339 Bad Waldsee
www.saluvet.de