Strengthening Global Health Security by improving public health capacity to detect, notify, and respond to disease outbreaks globally - Emerging infectious diseases and pathogens are rapidly spreading in many countries. The world is vulnerable to the risk of biological and infectious disease threats, such as Ebola Virus Disease and Marburg Virus Disease, which, if allowed to spread widely, could have catastrophic impacts on mortality, the global economy and social stability. Based on our experience over the last five years supporting global health security (GHS) activities in targeted countries as the prime of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-supported Enhancing Global Health Security Project (NOFO, CDC-RFA-GH20-2110), we have identified a set of persistent challenges spanning early warning surveillance; laboratory networks and diagnostic capacity; electronic and interoperable systems; data use for action; emergency operation management; public health programs, service delivery and implementation science; health workforce; and outbreak response. The consortium—led by Jhpiego with Johns Hopkins Center for Innovative Diagnostics and Infectious Disease— will partner with ministries of health, external stakeholders, and other governmental institutions in the targeted countries to strengthen countries’ capacity to independently detect, notify, and respond to disease threats of international significance. Drawing on our consortium’s unique capabilities, the Strengthening GHS project will 1) use time-bound and evidence-based frameworks to accelerate outbreak detection and response for diseases that threaten GHS and the health of Americans at home and abroad; 2) support regional and country public health institutions to independently lead preparedness efforts, and eventually create resilient and durable health systems that are owned by local governments; and 3) enhance data systems, laboratory capacity, and local field epidemiology workforce to effectively combat disease threats of international significance. To bring the goal and long-term outcomes to fruition, we will enhance countries’ capacity within core GHS priorities (Component 1) across the project’s seven main strategies, recognizing that each country is at a different stage of maturity in its implementation. Further, we will support countries to implement additional activities when funding is made available for a rapid, small- and large- scale response to infectious disease outbreaks or other public health emergencies (Components 2-3) or small-and large-scale emerging infectious disease threats (Components 4-5). To achieve the outcomes of this NOFO, we propose to work in the following countries where our consortium is registered and has an established country presence and/or network: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia; as well as the Central America Region, where Jhpiego has conducted GHS activities in collaboration with the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America.
