Moving ahead on the global health security agenda.

Abstract

On February 13, 2014, a new Global Health Security (GHS) agenda was launched by more than 20 countries, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). This new effort aims to drive and coordinate action among these partners, as well as the international NGO community and the private sector, in a more dedicated effort to prevent epidemics, detect biological threats early, and respond rapidly. There is hope and expectation that many more countries will join the agenda in the year ahead. All countries are invited. The specific objectives are organized around priority issues: antimicrobial resistance, food safety, laboratory biosafety and biosecurity, outbreaks, timely disease detection and reporting, sample sharing, effective diagnostics, emergency operations centers, rapid response teams, and ability to mobilize medicines and expertise during health emergencies. What is compelling and potentially so valuable about this effort is that it gathers, elevates, and shines a bright light on a series of deeply important issues that do not necessarily receive the attention or the international collaborative effort they require. The agenda broadly encourages self-examination regarding the work that countries do on these issues, and asks countries and nongovernmental organizations to dig deeper and consider new commitments in the years ahead. A review of the issues on this agenda makes clear how serious these challenges are. And a look at who is doing some of the leading work on these issues shows how important it will be to identify international best practices, to form new international collaborations, and to encourage countries from around the world to offer their expertise and resources where they are needed.