On Feb. 13, the United States brought together more than 25 nations and international partners across sectors (agriculture, health, defense, development, etc.) to launch the Global Health Security Agenda. The Global Health Security Agenda is intended to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats and enhance our ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks and threats. Infectious disease threats know no borders, and the U.S. has a vested interest in addressing this security challenge that has the ability to cause damage in lives lost, economic impact, and ability for communities to recover. The U.S. has pledged to work with at least 30 international partners over the next five years to strengthen their capacity through slowing the spread of antimicrobial resistance, reducing disease transmission, establishing national biosecurity systems, strengthening biosurveillance and laboratories, improving immunization rates, and developing real-time electronic reporting systems and emergency operations centers. To accomplish all of these tasks, the President’s FY2015 Budget will request $45 million in new funding dedicated to this effort.
Read more about the Global Health Security Agenda.
