USAID’s Global Health Security program aims to strengthen the capacity of partner governments, universities and research institutions, the private sector, and civil society for the prevention, preparedness, detection, and response to infectious disease threats. Nearly 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases are a result of zoonotic pathogens (spread between animals and people), in addition to the threat of antimicrobial resistance. Recognizing the interconnection between the health of humans, wild and domestic animals, and their shared environment, USAID works across these sectors applying a One Health approach to strengthening health systems.
EAST AFRICA GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY USAID’s
Global Health Security program aims to strengthen the capacity of partner governments, universities and research institutions, the private sector, and civil society for the prevention, preparedness, detection, and response to infectious disease threats. Nearly 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases are a result of zoonotic pathogens (spread between animals and people), in addition to the threat of antimicrobial resistance. Recognizing the interconnection between the health of humans, wild and domestic animals, and their shared environment, USAID works across these sectors applying a One Health approach to strengthening health systems.
GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY AGENDA
The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is an international partnership to accelerate progress towards a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats. GHSA focuses on three areas - preventing avoidable outbreaks, detecting threats early, and responding rapidly and effectively. The U.S. government has contributed over $1 billion to help 19 partner countries achieve GHSA targets. USAID’s Global Health Security program collaborates with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, Department of State, and other U.S. departments and agencies to implement and advance GHSA priorities.
KENYA AND EAST AFRICA
As the U.S. government’s lead development agency, USAID works in Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda to achieve Global Health Security program objectives. The USAID Global Health Security program supports the One Health approach that aligns the public health, animal health, wildlife, and environment sectors to prevent, prepare for, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats. USAID’s programs are building health system capacities in these sectors, with an emphasis on cross-cutting threats such as antimicrobial resistance and emerging diseases from animal, such as Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fevers, new strains of influenza, COVID-19, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, and other novel viruses.
USAID’s support to partner countries includes:
▪ Building sustainable infectious disease capacities within health, livestock, and wildlife ministries through laboratory systems strengthening and improving disease detection and surveillance.
▪ Strengthening country’s capacity to detect and characterize novel viruses that emanate from wildlife, understand the potential of these viruses to infect humans, and improve preparedness to prevent, detect, and respond effectively to pandemic threats.
▪ Establishing community-based surveillance that supports early detection and reporting and community engagement activities that support disease prevention and risk mitigation.
▪ Building capacities within health, livestock, agriculture, and other ministries to prevent, detect, and respond to antimicrobial resistance through improved surveillance and laboratory detection of resistant pathogens, improved infection prevention and control, and antimicrobial stewardship.
▪ Strengthening the capacities of universities to train current and future workers in the skills and competencies needed to address infectious diseases.
▪ Establishing and strengthening One Health collaboration mechanisms across ministries and stakeholders responsible for health, livestock, wildlife, and the environment.
▪ Strengthening ministry systems and communities for rapid and effective outbreak response and providing emergency outbreak assistance to partner countries as needed through assistance for rapid field investigation, laboratory diagnosis, risk communication, and emergency supplies such as personal protective equipment and laboratory supplies.
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