Global Health Security: Building Capacities for Early Event Detection, Epidemiologic Workforce, and Laboratory Response

Abstract

The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) was launched in February 2014 to bring countries with limited capacity into compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005). Recent international public health events, such as the appearance of Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus and the reappearance of Ebola in West Africa, have highlighted the importance of early detection of disease events and the interconnectedness of countries. Surveillance systems that allow early detection and recognition of signal events, a public health infrastructure that allows rapid notification and information sharing within countries and across borders, a trained epidemiologic workforce, and a laboratory network that can respond appropriately and rapidly are emerging as critical components of an early warning and response system. This article focuses on 3 aspects of the GHSA that will lead to improved capacities for the detection and response to outbreaks as required by the IHR: (1) early detection and reporting of events, (2) laboratory capacity, and (3) a trained epidemiologic workforce.

Keywords: Diagnostics; Public health preparedness/response; Surveillance.