Next Generation Global Health Security

Network Reflections

Page|2

TableofContents

JamechiaD.Hoyle–Coordinator,NextGenGHSANetwork……………………………3

AnthonyFalzarano,GeorgeMasonUniversity………………..............……………...........5

DanielG.Garcia-Gonzalez,TexasA&MUniversity…………….....……………...............6

DennisKalibbala,MakerereUniversity…………….................................……………........7

KaisaLähdepuro,MinistryofSocialAffairsandHealth,Finland……………..…….9LyazzatMusralina,InstituteofGeneralGeneticsandCytology………………..……10EmmylinNabanobe,MakerereUniversity……………………..……………….……………..12MartinNabwana,HutchinsonCentreResearchInstituteofUganda………………13SusanNakubulwa,NextGenmember,EastAfricaWorkingGroup………….……..14PeterMookaNextGenerationGlobalHealthSecurity……………………………..…….15StephenTaylor,GeorgeMasonUniversity……………………………………......…………..17AshleyTseng,McGillUniversity………………………………………………………….…………18

Page|3

JamechiaD.Hoyle–Coordinator,NextGenerationGlobalHealthSecurityNetwork

OnOctober25-27th,theUgandanGovernmenthostedthe4thGlobalHealthSecurityAgenda(GHSA)High-levelMinisterialMeetinginKampala,Uganda–thefirstMinisterialMeetingontheAfricancontinent.ThemeetingwascalledtoorderduringatimewherehealthsecurityprofessionalswereaddressingaplagueoutbreakinMadagascarandalocalMarburgoutbreakinthehostcountry,Uganda.Thisalonewasavividreminderthathealthsecuritymustremainapriority.

Manyhigh-levelofficialsfromthehostcountry,includingPresidentYoweriMuseveni,welcomeddelegatestheUgandaandreaffirmedtheircommitmenttohealthsecurity.Theconferencewaswellattendedbythemembernations,theprivatesector,non-governmentalorganizationsandtheNextGeneration.GHSAmembershipcontinuestoexpandwithanotedincreaseto63membercountrieswiththeadditionofNigeriaandthePhilippines.Hopefully,thetrendwillcontinueuntiltheGHSAmembershipmirrorsthemembershipoftheWorldHealthOrganization.

BuildingPartnerships

Thisyear’sMinisterialMeetingcentralthemechallengedcountriestoinvestmoreinhealthsecuritybyfocusingonimplementingGHSA,particularlybycompletingtheJointExternalEvaluations,establishingNationalPlanstoaddressthegapsandsolidifyingarelationshipwiththeprivatesectorandnon-governmentalstakeholdersforcontinuedsupportofengagementactivities.Asanadditionalstep,IwouldchallengeeachmembercountrytocontinuetoinvestintheNextGenerationasthesustainablefutureofhealthsecurityprogressfortheworld.

HisExcellencyParkNeunghoo,MinisterofHealthandWelfare,RepublicofKorea,openedthesummitbyemphasizingtheimportanceofbuildingpartnershipswithinandacrosscountries.ThismeetingwasthefirstGHSAsummittoemphasizecommunityeducationtoenhanceprevention,detectionandresponsetoinfectiousdiseasethreats.AsthecaseofEbolademonstrated(andagainwiththeplagueoutbreakinMadagascar),localcommunitiesoftenwithstandtheworstofoutbreaks,canprovideearlydetection,andneedacoordinatedresponsetohalttheoutbreak.Itisimperativethatcountries,theprivatesectorandnon-governmentalorganizationsestablishrelationshipswithlocalcommunitiesbeforeoutbreaks.Healthsecuritypreparednessatthelocallevelisessentialforlong-termsustainableprogressinGHSA

Themeetingsessionsreflectedthecorethemeofbuildingpartnershipsbyincludinggovernmentagencies,MinistriesofDefenseandMinistriesofFinance,andotherMinistriesthatwerenottraditionallypartofGHSAmeetingsinthepast.Thesummitalsofeaturedastrongfocusonoperationalizingmultisectoralapproachestoglobalhealthsecurity.Aligningwiththeconferencetheme,Dr.AlanTennenberg,ChiefMedicalOfficer,JohnsonandJohnsonGlobalPublicHealthandPrivateSector

Page|4

RoundtableRepresentative,offeredencouragedanovelengagementstrategybetweengovernmentsandotherpartners:“Engage,Recruit,andPartner”.Asnationalgovernmentsdevelopframeworksforpartnership,thisengagementstrategycouldbeimplementedtoengagenon-traditionallocalcommunities,privatesectorcompanies,academia,andthenon-governmentalsectors;recruitnewstakeholdersaslocalpartnersandadvocatesforGHSAandestablishaprioritizedlistofpartnersinhealthsecurity.

TheNextPhaseofGlobalHealthSecurityCapacity-Building

AsmorecountriescompletetheJointExternalEvaluations(JEE)anddevelopNationalActionPlanstoclosethegapsidentifiedbythatassessmentprocess,thereisanincreasedneedtoensureasteadystreamoffinancingtoensurethatpublichealthinvestmentsaresustainable.

WHOAfricaRegionDirectorofProgramManagement,Dr.JosephCabore,remindedattendeesthattheassessmentsarenothingmorethanreportcardsandfortheprocesstobemostsuccessful,itmustbefollowedbyagovernment-ownedandproperlycostedmultisectoralplanforimplementation.ForthecountriesthathavecompletedtheJEEassessments,26countriesinthepipeline,andotherswhowillcompletetheassessmentinthefuture,partnershipswillbecriticalforaddressingidentifiedgapsfromtheassessmentprocess.

GHSA–Awayforward

AstheGHSAapproachestheendofthe5-yearinitiative,manyconversationscenteredonthecontinuationoftheinitiative.Overall,theresoundingsupportforthisinitiativebyallcountries,includingtheUnitedStates,theprivatesector,andcivilsocietyculminatedintheKampalaDeclaration–aconcretecommitmentfromthemembersoftheGlobalHealthSecurityAgendatoextendtheirworktostrengthenglobalhealthsecurityandimplementtheInternationalHealthRegulations(2005)until2024.WhilethereisoverwhelmingsupportforextendingGHSAto2024,manyquestionsarelefttobeanswered.WilltheUSremainedfinanciallycommittedunderthenewadministration?WilladditionalcountriesanswerthecallthejoinGHSA?Willtheagendaremaincommittedtopartnershipswiththeprivatesector,non-governmentalsector,academiaandtheNextGeneration?Nonetheless,GHSAmembercountriesandpartnerorganizations—frommultinationalcorporationstolocalcommunitygroups—remaincommittedtoaworldsafeandsecurefromthethreatofinfectiousdiseases.

Reflection

AsthecurrentchairoftheNextGenerationGlobalHealthSecurityNetwork(NextGen),IapplaudtheGovernmentofUgandaforafruitfulmeetingthatmovedbeyondtheoreticalconversationsaboutpartnershipstoconcreteexamplesofpartnershipsandopendialogueonareaswherewecancollectiveimproveGHSA,nationalandinternationalcollaboration.TheNextGenerationremainscommittedasavestedpartnerinGHSA.Aswecontinuetoexpandournetworktocreatea

Page|5

multidisciplinary,internationalgroupofskilledearlytomid-careerprofessionalsandstudentscommittedtotheadvancementoftheprinciplesofGHSA,weinturnrequestthatthenextiterationofGHSAcreateaspaceforthegrowingnetworkofprofessionals,butalsoremaincommittedtoourinvolvementatthelocallevelinJointExternalEvaluations,National-levelplanningandotheressentialactivities.

Thenextfewpageswillprovideadetailedreviewandreflectionofthe4thAnnualGHSAMinisterialConferenceinKampala,UgandafromNextGenerationGlobalHealthSecuritymembersinattendance.WewouldliketoacknowledgesponsorshipsfromManagementSciencesforHealth,TheNuclearThreatInitiative,andGeorgeMasonUniversity.

AnthonyFalzarano–GeorgeMasonUniversity

IamafirstsemesterMaster’sstudentintheBiodefenseprogramatGeorgeMasonUniversity.PriortostartingatMason,IstudiedMicrobiologyandEnvironmentalEngineeringatTheOhioStateUniversity.Myprimaryinterestsincludegovernmentandsecurityissuesinvolvingbiologicalthreats–particularlyregardingclimatechange,antimicrobialresistance,orintentionalincidents.IamamemberoftheNextGenGHSAnetworkandwasawardedGeorgeMasonUniversity’sGlobalHealthAmbassadorFellowship,whichsupportedmytraveltoUgandaforthismeeting.

InKampala,Ihadtheopportunitytoattendtwobreakoutsessions.ThefirstwasEngagingtheNon-GovernmentalandAcademicSectorsintotheNextPhaseofGHSA,moderatedbyDr.JenniferNuzzoofJohnsHopkinsUniversity.Thissessionincludedexpertspeakersfromacademicandnon-governmentalorganizations–includingGeorgetownUniversityinWashingtonDCandMakerereUniversityinKampala–onthepanel.

Thissessionfocusedonthreemainareas:1)incorporatingthenon-governmentalorganization(NGO)sectorintothenextphaseofGHSA,2)NGOfunctionsinfacilitatingmulti-sectoralcollaborationandcoordination,and3)rolesofacademicandNGOsintheeducationandtrainingofglobalhealthsecurityworkforces.Asastudentofglobalhealthsecurity,thelasttwowerethemostinterestingtome.Thespeakersunderlinedadistinctneedforpropereducationandtrainingofthosewhowilleventuallyimplementthepolicies,aswellastheneedforNGOstofacilitateinterdisciplinarycollaboration.Educationandtrainingbuildthefoundationamongstudentsandyoungprofessionalstohelptacklethedifficultissuesinglobalhealthsecurity.Multi-sectoralcollaboration–therecurringthemeoftheweek–wasalsoechoedgreatlyinthissession,asitisimperativeforthenextphaseoftheGHSAtofosterstrongworkingrelationshipsbetweenalltheplayersinthehealthsecurityarena.

ThesecondbreakoutsessionIattendedwastitledGHSATechnicalAreaApproachesandprimarilyservedasaforumforthewinnersoftheNuclearThreatInstitute(NTI)/NextGenBiosecurityCompetitiontoshowcasetheirproposalsandideas.Thewinningproposal–submittedandpresentedbyNextGenmembersAshleyTseng

Page|6

andLyazzatMusralina–supportedtheestablishmentofaglobal,integrateddatabaseandglossaryofbiosecurityresourcesandtoolsinsupportofinitiativestoimplementandreachJointExternalEvaluation(JEE)andGHSAtargets.Theirproposalhighlightsarealgap,whichmustbefilledinourcommunity,andseeingmyNextGenpeersleadasessionwiththeirvisionforthefuturewasveryinspiring.

Overall,thistripwaseverythingIhopeditwouldbe.Ihadtheopportunitytonetworkwithsomeofthebrightest,hardestworkingindividualswhosolveissueswhichultimatelyimpactmillions.ThoseofusintheNextGencommunitycollectivelyacknowledgedthatthetripdescribedas“onceinalifetime”willbeanythingbutthat.InspiredbyourexperiencesinUganda,wewillcontinuetopursueourpassionsandcareerssolvinghealthproblemsacrosstheglobe,strivingforacomprehensiveandsecurehealthsystem,whichworksforall.

DanielG.Garcia-Gonzalez,TexasA&MUniversity Engagingthenon-governmentalandacademicsectorsintothenextphaseofGHSA

WhenIbegantoworkwithanon-governmentalorganization(NGO)whichwasbasedinColombiatosupportcommunitiesofsmall-scalefarmers15yearsago,thefirstlessonIhavelearnedwas:“nadieselassabetodas”whichisSpanishfor“nobodyknowseverything”.Whenyoucompleteyourstudiesatuniversityyoufeellikeyouhaveeverythingtosavetheworldonyourown,however,oneofthebestplacestorefutethissuperherogreatintentionisworkingwithanNGO.Mylearningexperiencethere-onhowtoworkandhowimportantistoworkinateam-andtodevelopmultidisciplinaryandinter-institutionalapproacheswasdramaticallyimportant.NGOsarecrucialtobringingtogetheralltherighthandsandbridgingthegapsbetweencommunities,government,academiaandindustrysectors,andalsotomobilizeresourcesandperformintegralandcoherentactions.ThesecondtwolessonsIlearnedwere:“listenandunderstandthelocalcontextbeforeacting”and“donotgivefishbutteachhowtofish”.NGO’sareonthefirstlineandthereforeabletoestablishparticipatoryactionsbasedonthe“realreality”ofanyspecificcontextandtofocusonbuildingcapacitiestodevelopsustainableactionsinsteadofgiving,teachandgo.Workingnowatanacademicinstitutionforthepast5years,hasalsoopenedmyeyestohowamazinglyimportantthisacademicsectorisindevelopingindividualabilitiesandcapacities,offeringexpertiseandgeneratingaccurate,rigorous,qualifiedandinnovativeactionsandresultsthroughresearch-educational-trainingprocesses.Mostimportantly,whenhavingtheopportunitytoapply,discloseandadaptscienceknowledgeoutsidethewallsoftheuniversity,specificallyincapacitybuilding,focusingoninfectiousdiseasesresearchandBiosafety&Biosecurityaspects.

Beingpartofbothacademicand-NGOsectorsencouragedmetoenrollintheNextGenerationGlobalHealthSecurityNetworkandtoparticipateinattendingthisspecificbreakoutsessionatthe4thGHSAHigh-LevelMinisterialMeeting.Duringthe

Page|7

panelpresentation,itwasgratifyingtolistentoallthelessonsIhavelearnedinthepast,representedonremarkableactions,experiencesandcontributionsofNGO’sandacademicinstitutionsinHealthSecurity.ThisreinforcedmybeliefonhowessentialitistoincorporateallsectorstoextendandfulfilltheneedsoftheGlobalHealthSecurityAgenda(GHSA)forthefuture.Itwillbeextremelyimportanttheirparticipationtomotivate,encourageandengageallcountriesworldwidetoparticipateintheGHSA,topreparethemforJointExternalEvaluations(JEE),providetechnicalsupporttodevelopactionplans,breakdownbarriersandfacilitatemulti-sectoralcollaborationsandcoordinationinabottom-upapproachway.Further,itisessentialto,developsustainablecurriculumsandothercapacitybuildingactivitiesthatcanbesharedandadaptedtoanylocalcondition,andcontributetocollecting,analyzingandintegratingtheaccuratedatatoprevent,detectandrespondtohealththreats,amongmanyothercontributions.Oneofthedifficultiespresentedbythepanelwasthatacademicinstitutionsaretoobusyandhavedifficultyinengaging,butbyworkingtogetherwithNGO’swillhelpthemtodeploytheircapabilitiesandexpertise“inthefield”.TheselinkagesbetweenacademiaandNGO’sareextremelysignificanttocomplementactionsandleadsmetoexpressoneofthemostimportantconclusionsandreflectionsofthisbreakoutsessionsummarizedinoneword:“trust”.Buildingtrustedinterinstitutionalrelationshipscenteredonethics,respect,equity,teamwork,andresponsibilityisoneofthekeystomoveforwardinthenextphaseofGHSA.Ienvisioncontributing,strengtheninganddevelopingmulti-sectoraltrustedengagements,includingtheNGO’sandacademicsectorsundercommonobjectivestobuildownandsustainablecapacitiestowardsabetterworld,aworldsafefrominfectiousdiseases,whichistheworldthateveryonedeserves,andistheworldthatGHSAiscontributingtooccur.

DennisKalibbala-MakerereUniversity,Uganda

Itwasapleasuretobepartofthe“4thAnnualGlobalHealthSecurityAgenda(GHSA)HighlevelMinisterialMeeting”,onthetheme“HealthSecurityforall:EngagingCommunities,Non-GovernmentalOrganizationsandthePrivateSector”.Attendingthemeetingwasaninvaluableopportunity,whichhelpedmeunderstandthateverycountryiscapableofpreventing,detectingandrespondingtoawiderangeofhealththreatsandemergenciesthatcarryhealthconsequences.

Weshouldallbecommittedirrespectiveofourlevels,sectorsofgovernanceorcommunities.Weneedtobuildcountryownershipandengagecommunities,non-governmentalorganizations,theprivatesector,academiaanddevelopmentpartnersinGHSA.

Persistentisnotbetterthancompletion,Healthrisksdonotrecognizecountryborders.Earlywarning,riskreductionandmanagementofnationalandglobalhealthrisksareimportantasendingawar.

Attendingthemeetingalsohelpedmeunderstandthefactthat,healthsecurityisnotonlyinfectiousdiseaseoutbreaks.Otherriskssuchasbio-terrorism,food-borne

Page|8

disease,zoonoticdisease,andchemicalandradiationaccidentscancreateadevastatingimpactonallaspectsincludingeconomicgrowthandHealth.

OurNextGensidemeetingalsoprovidedaclearunderstandingthatthereisneedtoengagescholars,scientists,andprofessionalsfromgovernmentandnon-governmentalinstitutionsintotheGHSAandotherglobalhealthsecurityprojects.IbelievethenetworkisgoingtobestrongerasitcontinuestopromotethevaluesofEducation,Innovation,andParticipationtoapproachandovercomethebiggestchallengesfacingthehealthsecurityfieldstoday.

Afterthemeeting,wehadSiteVisitsandvisited;UgandaVirusResearchInstitute(UVRI),NationalanimalDiseasesDiagnosticandEpidemiologyCenter(NADDEC)andtheZikaForest.WestartedfromTheZikaForest(atropicalforestnearEntebbe)inUganda.WeweretoldthatZikameans,"overgrown"intheLugandalanguage.TheforestisapropertyoftheUgandaVirusResearchInstitute(UVRI)ofEntebbe,itisprotectedandrestrictedtoscientificresearch.Theforestcoversanareaofabout25hectares.Theforesthasarichbiodiversityinplantsandmoths,andishometoabout40typesofmosquitoes.TheInvestigationsofmosquitoesatZikastartedin1946aspartofthestudyofhumanyellowfeverattheYellowFeverResearchInstitute.In1947,theZikaviruswasisolatedfromarhesusmonkeystationedatZika.Wealsovisitedthe36.6-metre(120-ft)steeltowerusedtostudytheverticaldistributionofmosquitoessincetheearly1960s.

Next,wevisitedtheNationalAnimalDiseaseDiagnosticsandEpidemiologyCentre(NADDEC)--specificallytheEpidemiologyunit.AsanEpidemiologist,Iwasallowedtoseethedatacollection,managementandreportingsystemsprocess.Igreatlyenjoyedit.

WeconcludedoursitevisitsessionwiththeUgandaVirusResearchInstitute.WeweretoldtheInternationalDivisionoftheRockefellerFoundationasaYellowFeverResearchInstituteestablisheditin1936.In1950,theInstitutebecametheEastAfricanVirusResearchInstituteundertheEastAfricanHighCommission.ThesameyearitwasdesignatedasWHORegionalCenterforArbovirusesReferenceandResearch.In1977theEastAfricanCommunitycollapsedandtheInstitutewassubsequentlynamedtheUgandaVirusResearchInstitute.AfterthediscoveryoftheHumanImmunodeficiencyVirus(HIV)inUganda,researchworkwithcollaboratorsonHIVstartedin1987andin2009,UVRIbecameaconstituentinstituteoftheUgandaNationalHealthResearchOrganization(UNHRO),anumbrellaorganizationforhealthresearchwithintheUganda.

WewerealsotakenthroughalistofUVRI’smilestonesandvisitedthesite’sdifferentsectionslikealaboratoryandtheepidemiologysection.

Lastly,IhavemanagedtoshareallthiswonderfulexperiencewithmyclassmatesintheEpidemiologyandbiostatisticsmastersclass.IamsoencouragedastheclassrepresentativetobringmoremembersonboardasanAmbassadorforNextGenerationGlobalHealthSecurityNetwork.ThankYouNextGenNetwork.

Page|9

KaisaLähdepuro,MinistryofSocialAffairsandHealth,Finland

ThemeetingoftheJEEAlliance

Thereisauniquewindowofopportunitytostrengthencountries’capacitiestoprevent,detectandrespondtohealthrelatedhazardsgloballyandthusstrivetowardstheSustainableDevelopmentGoalstowhichallcountriesarecommitted.IhavehadtheopportunitytoworkintherapidlyevolvinghealthsecurityfieldthroughmyworkattheFinnishMinistryofSocialAffairsandHealth,oneofthemanyministriesinFinlandcooperatingonglobalhealthsecurity.FinlandandAustraliaarecurrentlyco-chairingtheJEEAlliance,amulti-partnerplatformforcooperationamongcountries,internationalorganizations,non-governmentalactorsandanumbrellaorganizationrepresentingtheprivatesector.TheAllianceaimsatfacilitatingmultisectoralcollaborationonhealthsecuritycapacitybuildingandInternationalHealthRegulations(IHR2005)implementation.ItisseparatefromtheGlobalHealthSecurityAgendaandotherhealthsecurityfocusedinitiativesbutitensurescollaborationandsynergieswiththem.

On25October2017,inthemarginsofthe4thGHSAMinisterialMeetinginKampala,Uganda,theAlliancebegananimportantprocessofsettingtargetsandindicatorsforhealthsecurity.Themeetingwasco-chairedbyMrRobinDavies,HeadofCentre,Indo-PacificCentreforHealthSecurity,AustraliaandDrPäiviSillanaukee,PermanentSecretary,MinistryofSocialAffairsandHealth,Finland.Theco-chairshadcirculatedanon-paperforthebasisofdiscussion.Theproposedguidingprinciplesfordevelopingthetargetsandassociatedindicatorsincludetoreflectinformationaboutkeyhealthsecurityoutcomes;strikeabalanceinbeingambitiousandrealistic;notcreateadditionalcollectionorreportingburdens;andpromotethemultisectoralapproachtohealthsecurity.AstheAllianceisnotanorganization,thetargetsandindicatorsarenon-binding.

ThepermanentmembersoftheAllianceAdvisoryGroup(FAO,OIE,WHO,WorldBank)providedcomments.DrRajeshSreedharanoftheWHOEmergenciesProgrammepresentedanupdateontheJointExternalEvaluations,nationalplanning,andcapacitybuildingprocess,andunderlinedtheimportanceofcountryownershipandleadership.DrSusanCorningoftheWorldOrganisationforAnimalHealth(OIE)encourageddiscussionhowthetargetsandindicatorsbestreflecttheAlliance’spurposeregardinghealthsecurityoutcomes.DrHenkJanOrmeloftheFoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUN(FAO)underlinedthatOneHealthshouldremainatthecoreofhealthsecuritycapacitybuilding.DrPatrickOseweoftheWorldBankemphasizedtheimportanceoftheJEEwhenconsideringsustainablehealthsecurityfinancing.

Theco-chairsencouragedmembersandotherstakeholderstoprovidefeedbackontheproposedtargetsandindicators(aninvitetogivefeedbackwillfollowsoon).TheaimistopresentafinalpaperintheJEEAlliancemeetingin2018.Theco-chairs

Page|10

alsoencouragedparticipantstoconsiderandprovidefeedbackonwhetherthenameJEEAlliancereflectsthepurposeandgoalsofthegroup.

TheKampalameetingstartedanimportantphaseintheAlliance’sworkonsupportingmultisectoralcollaborationandconcretemeasuresforpreparednessandresilienceincountries.IamconvincedthattheglobalcommitmentdemonstratedinKampalaforstrengtheninghealthsecurityaswellasthebroadexpertiseandengagementoftheAlliancemembershippavewayforasuccessful,comprehensiveprocess.

LyazzatMusralina–InstituteofGeneralGeneticsandCytology,Kazakhstan

Ms.MusralinaisascientificresearcherinthePopulationGeneticsLabattheInstituteofGeneralGeneticsandCytology,KazakhstanandconsultantofGermanTechnicalCooperationproject.Shehasworkedinmolecularbiologylabincludingforensicexpertiseandinstitutesfornearlytenyears,andthreeyearsofexperienceworkingundertheCooperativeBiologicalEngagementProgramwithTMC/AECOM/MRIGlobalscienceteamandsupportingCooperativeBiologicalResearchPrograminKazakhstan.Ms.MusralinaholdsamedicalbiologydegreefromtheAl-FarabiKazakhNationalUniversity,aswellasaMastersofScience.

TheprimarygoaloftheGlobalHealthSecurityAgenda(GHSA)istohelpcountriesbuildtheircapacitytocontributetowardsaworldsafefrominfectiousdiseasethreatsandalsotoelevateglobalhealthsecurityasanationalandglobalpriority.AstheFirstPlacewinnersinthe2017NextGenerationforBiosecurityinGHSACompetitionourteamgotachancetoattendinthe2017GHSAMinisterialMeeting,Kampala,Uganda.

Thismeetingprovides anunparalleledopportunity to share experiences in globalhealthsecuritywithparticipatingdelegatesfrom41countries:Ministriesof:Health,Wildlife and Antiquities, Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries, Defense,Finance, Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Security, President’s Office, Justice andConstitutional Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Labour, Education, Water andEnvironmentandPartnerslikeCDC,WHO,WB,FAO,OIE,USAID,P&R,AFENET,IDI,UNICEF, Johnson&Johnson, and other. The theme of this yearmeeting is:Healthsecurity for All: Engaging Communities, Non-Governmental Actors, and the PrivateSector.

The session: GHSA's global progress: GHSA achievements, good practices, andchallengesstartedonOctober25that9:28-10:00.

First speaker,Dr. Youngmee Jee,DirectorGeneral ofCenter for InfectiousDiseaseResearch, KCDC, and the next speeker –Dr.Neunghoo Park,Minister ofHealth&Welfare, Republic of Korea presented: GHSA The way forward. A mechanism forcollaborationthataimstosupportcountriestodevelopinternationallyagreedcorecapacities for health security such as those required by WHO IHR. Launched inFebruary, 2014 with the participation of 20 countries and various international

Page|11

organizations(WHO,EU,OIA,FAO,etc.).Shealsomentionedachievmentsfrom2014-2017 (GHSA was launded in February in Washington DC andGeneva), targetstrengthening of capacities to respond to infectious diseases and supportingimplementationofinternationalHealthRegulation,11actionpackagesfor«PreventDetectandRespond»formedsteeringgroupwith10countries.11ActionPackagesto19focusareasofJEE.IunderstoodhowimportantisGHSA,andJEEtosharingsuccessstoriesforactionpackagesofcountries,Monitoringsystemforefficientfinancingofdonor countries and what they have learned. Incorporating key priority actionsidentifiedduringJEEintotheNationalActionPlansbycountriesandcollaboratewithglobal partners to advance the national actions, and to ensure financing toimplementnationapriority.59countriesinJEEnow.

TheOrganizationCommitteeplanned3sitevisitson27thofOctober,andIchoseSite1whichincludedvisittoZikaForest,UgandaVirusResearchInstitute(UVRI)andtheNationalAnimalDiseasesDiagnosticsandEpidemiologyCenter(NADDEC).NumberofInteresteddelegatesare82(34-Ugandans,48–Foreigndelegates).Wegotsomeinformation and history about Zika Forest from Dr. Lutwama. Zika Forest is thepropertyoftheUVRI,protectedandrestrictedtoscientificresearchwhichcoversanareaofabout25hectarestostudyofmosquitoesandthediseasesthattheytransmit.Theforesthasarichbiodiversityinplants,insectsandanimals,andishometoabout80speciesofmosquitoes.SomearbovirusesareknowntobepresentinUgandaatonetimeoranother.Over30%ofthesewerefirstidentifiedfromUganda.

LaterwhenwedividedintotwogroupsoneofusvisitedUVRIfirstandlearnedaboutUVRIfromProfessorKaleebuandweendedwithatourofNADDEC.AftervisitingtheUVRI,welearnedthatUVRIisaPublicHealthInstituteandsupportsantimicrobialresistancetesting inbothvirusesandbacteriaandhosts thenationalandregionalreferencelaboratoryforHIVdrugresistancetesting.VeryhighequippedlaboratoriesandspecialiststrainedinAtlantaCDCconducttestingforawiderangeofviralandbacterialpathogens includingthose forviralhemorrhagic fevers,arboviruses,HIV,influenzaviruses,plagueandanthrax.

TheNADDEC is responsible for seven regional veterinary laboratories, veterinaryhealthserviceshasa“structure”forspecimenreferralfromthefarmerstothedistricttotheregionandtothecenter.Ithasbeenwellequippedwithcapacityfordiagnosinganimaldiseasesincludingzoonoticdiseases.

I am very proud to have been a part of 4th edition of the Global Health SecurityAgendaMeetingand theNextGenerationmembers inBiosecurity. Also IamverythankfulforUgandanhospitalities.Weenjoyednotonlyfromthesitevisit,butalsofromtheirfoodanddancingpartorganizedforus.

Some of the highlights included meeting directors of many Non-Governmentalorganizations, ministers of 41 countries, DoD officials and the DTRA team, andprofessors from different Universities. A primary objective is biosafety andbiosecurity. GHSA via joint external evaluation (JEE) include country self-assessments,whereonecountryassistsanotherthroughworkinglevelmentorships.

Page|12

They will be able teach current global health security to next generationprofessionals.IhopethedelegatesfrommycountryandtheflagofKazakhstanwillbeinthenextGHSAmeeting.

EmmylinNabanobe,MPHStudent,MakerereUniversity,Uganda.SchoolofPublicHealth

VulnerablecommunitiesandroleofsecurityanddefenseintheGlobalHealthSecurityAgenda.

Whyvulnerablepopulations?Diseasesmovewithhumanpopulations.Peoplemovewithdiseaseorfinddiseaseinhostcommunitieshencerepresentingasecurityandhealthrisk.Sohowdowemanagepeoplemovingacrossboundariesandavoidthediseasemovements? TheGlobalHealthSecurityAgenda(GHSA)providesastrongframework to address these issues among vulnerable communities, especiallycommunities of internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees who are mostaffectedbydiseaseandyethavereducedchancesofassessinghealthcare. Aswecontinue into the next phase of GHSA, there is a need to expand the definition ofvulnerable communities to include poor populations, professionally vulnerablepopulations,theilliterateandvulnerablelivestock.

BasedondifferentcountryJointExternalEvaluations(JEE),gapswereidentifiedatnationalandcommunitylevelinmanycountriesinregardstosupportingvulnerablepopulations in the health sector. Knowing this, how can GHSA better detect andrespondtothegrowingneedsinthesepopulations;

What kind of strategies can include IDPs and refugees especially in the GHSA keyactivities?

CountryDisasterManagementandRefugeeDepartment:Oneofthemajorstrategiesiscreatingadisastermanagementandrefugeedepartment,whichpreparesthecountryfordisaster.InUganda,acountrythathasreceivedrefugeesformorethan3decades,thisdepartmentisbasedinthePrimeMinister’soffice.Thedepartmentcollaborateswith different sectors (Ministry of Health, Minister of Gender, partners such asUNICEF) to implement strategies appropriate to refugees’ challenges. Thedepartment’smajorfocusisprovidinggoodhealthandhumanitariansupporttoalltheserefugees.

Communityawareness:TheweakestlinkinthevaluechainforGHSAisrecognitionandreachforvulnerablecommunities.Epidemicsandpandemicsbeginandendinlocal communities. Communities trainingon strategies to recognize earlywarningsigns of pandemics. Community health workers’ roles need to be recognizedincorporatedintocountrysurveillanceandresponsesystems.Ifwedonotdothis,westand a risk of having late outbreak detections causing disastrous effects, whichwouldhaveother-wisebeenmanaged.

IncludeIDPsandRefugeesduringNationalPlanningsessions:Asanexample,EthiopiahasmanyvulnerablepopulationshoweverthecountrydoesnotconsiderIDPsandor

Page|13

refugeesduringnationalplanninganddraftingofnationalbudgetsastheyonlyplanforcountrynatives.Thishasledtoincreasedvulnerabilityamongthepopulationofvulnerable people as health intervention programs such as immunization do notreachpeopleinthesecommunities.

ThereisneedtolookatintegrationofIDPsandrefugeesasawhole.CountriesmustassesshowtheycanintegrateIDPsandrefugeesintheircountryhealthsystems,toencourage a single-system model, in lieu of two parallel systems. The systemestablishedshouldworkforall.

Looking beyond health. The health situation in most vulnerable communities islacking,howeverasidefromhealth,therearelimitedfacilitiessuchaswatersourcesandlandduetohighinfluxofrefugeesleadingtowaterscarcityandlanddegradationrespectively.Hence,wealsoneedtofocusonotherareasthatwillmakecommunitiesstabledespitecoexistingwithrefugees.

Lastly,managingmigrationsanddisplacementsisanotheralternativeandunlesswegive these people (vulnerable populations) what they deserve, we risk our ownpopulationhealthandglobalsecurity.EachcountryneedstoprepareforrefugeesandIDPs.

MartinNabwana–HutchinsonCentreResearchInstituteofUganda

MartinNabwanaiscurrentlyadatacoordinatorattheHutchinsonCentreResearchInstituteofUganda,volunteerDataManageratUgandaCancerInstitute,andaMasterof Science Candidate in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at MakerereUniversity,Kampala,Uganda.

Firstly,IwouldliketothanktheNextGeneration(NextGen)GlobalHealthSecurityNetwork(GHSN)forgrantingustheopportunitytobepartofthe4thAnnualGlobalSecurityAgendaHigh-LevelMinisterialMeeting.IfirstlearnedofGHSAwhenIjoinedNextGen.

Attending this year’s conferencehelpedmeunderstandwhatGHSA is,why itwasformed,theirexpectations,andmore.Everynationhasitslimitationsandchallengeswhichmay require the interventionofother countries to curb theproblem.Manycountries, especially less developed countries (Uganda being one of them), facechallenges in areas like health, food, and others; therefore internationalcollaborationsareofgreatimportancetoournation.

MyattendanceintheconferencewassuchavaluablemomentinmylifeandIbelievealotmoreisinstockfortheNextGenerationmembersinglobalhealthsecurity.Beingayoungprofessional,whoisstillatthebeginningofmycareer,IwasecstaticwhenIheardIwasinthesamevicinityasrepresentativesfromtheUSgovernmentandmanyothernationsworldwide.Tobeabletohearthesehigh-levelindividualsspeakwastruly a great honor. I met many great scientists, ambassadors, and countryrepresentativesofworldorganizations liketheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO),FoodandAgricultureOrganization(FAO),EuropeanUnion,andCentersforDisease

Page|14

ControlandPrevention(CDC).TheabstractsthatIhadtheopportunitytohearaboutwereextremelypowerfulandencouraging,especiallyinthefieldofepidemiology.

Inregardtothesitevisits,IhadtheopportunitytovisitZiikaForestandUgandaVirusResearchInstitute(UVRI)inEntebbe—Kampala,Uganda.UVRIisoneoftheplacesIhavelongdesiredtovisitandworkatbecauseoftheirextensiveworkinglobalhealth,expertise,andorganization.ItisamazingthateventhoughIamUgandan,IhaveneverhadtheopportunitytovisitUVRIuntiltheGHSAMeeting.IwasnotsurprisedwiththequalityofworkconductedtheresinceIalreadyhadhighexpectationsbasedonmybackgroundresearchontheworktheydoandtheircontributionstoUgandaandneighboringcountries.Givenmybackgroundinstatistics,andnowepidemiologyandbiostatistics,IwassoexcitedabouttouringtheInstitutewithhigh-levelindividualsexplainingthedifferentkindsofmosquitoesanddiagnosticmethodologiesatUVRI.TheonlydepartmentthatIhaddesiredtoreachandhaveaconversationwithwastheEpidemiologyandDatadepartment,butduetotimeconstraints,wewereunabletovisit.IneverthelessappreciateNextGenforprovidingmetheopportunitytovisitUVRI.

ConcerningtheZikaforest,itwasexcitingtohearaboutthevarioustypesofprojectsthatoccurthere.ThereisstillmuchtobestudiedwithintheZikaforest,makingitevenmoreexcitingandinterestingfromascientificperspective.IrealizedthatwhatIamlearningintheclassroomisnotonlytheoreticalepidemiology,butalsopracticalepidemiology.IalsohadtheopportunitytovisittheMinistryofAgricultureResearchCentreinEntebbe,whereMinistersandresearchersgaveusaverywarmwelcome.

IalsolearnedalotfromtheNextGenerationsidemeeting,co-hostedbyDr.JamechiaHoyle (NextGen Coordinator) and Peter Mooka (East African Working GroupCoordinator).IrealizedthereisalotwecandoasNextGenerationmemberstobringabout GHSA awareness to our communities. I was overjoyed by the idea of thementorshipprogramsinceIbelievethatNextGenwillbethemostextensiveglobalhealthsecurityprofessionalnetworkinthefuture.IobservedthatNextGenhasmanyyoungandenergeticprofessionalswhoarestillatthebeginningoftheircareersinadditiontonumerousseniorprofessionalswhohavealreadycontributedgreatlytoglobal health security. The NextGen Mentorship Program will help mold youngprofessionals intoseniorglobalhealthsecurityspecialists,ensuringthesecurityofournationsinthefuture.

SusanNakubulwa-NextGenmember,EastAfricanWorkingGroup

ExtendingGHSAbeyond2018&SustainableFinancingofGlobalHealthSecurity

Thissessionhadtwopaneldiscussionswhichwere;

i) GHSApost-2018:Wheredowegofromhere?ii) Makingthecasefordomesticinvestmentandfinancingstrategiesfor

sustainablehealthsecurity

Page|15

Oneoftheissueshighlightedduringthisplenarysessionwasthatcurrently,only61countriesareinvolvedintheGHSAagendaandthereforethereisneedformorecountries,whicharemembersoftheWorldHealthOrganization,togetonboard.

TherewasanemphasisthatGHSAshouldbeownedbynations.InvestmentinhumancapitaldevelopmentisstillachallengeespeciallyinresourcelimitedcountriesyetcapacitybuildingiskeyfortheGHSA.Publichealthofficialswereencouragedtohaveinternationalpartnersandhaveflexiblebutclearpriorities.

AnotherkeyhighlightwastoinvolvetheprivatesectorinGHSAthroughathreestepstrategyofengaging,recruitingandpartnering.TheprivatesectorshouldbeinformedandeducatedaboutGHSA.Forexample,adrugcompanycanrespondtoadiseaseoutbreakbysupplyingdrugs.Also,partnershipscanbemadewiththeprivatesectorindevelopingavaccineduringanepidemic.

ThesessionparticipantsemphasizedtheneedforzoonoticdiseasestohaveanequalbudgettootherinfectiousdiseasessothatnationsdonotfightalosingbattlefortheGHSA.

DomesticfinancingoptionsareimportantforsustainabilityofgovernmentprogramsonGHSA.Itiscrucialfornationstosetasideacontingencyfundforemergencysupportwhendiseaseoutbreaksoccur.Althoughfundsarelimitedindevelopingcountriesduetothehighpopulationgrowth,prioritiesshouldbemadebythehealthsectortohavethecontingencyfundinplace.

Withcollaborationandplanning,financingforGHSAbeyond2018willbemoresustainableandmoreliveswillbesaved.

PeterMookaNextGenerationGlobalHealthSecurity/Uganda

The4thGHSAHigh-LevelMinisterialMeetingwasheldinKampalawiththetheme,”HealthSecurityforAll:EngagingCommunities,Non-GovernmentalOrganizations,andthePrivateSector”.Itwaswellattended,withrepresentationfromallthedifferentsectorsundertheOneHealthapproach.Theconferenceattractedover41ministersfromdifferentcountries,non-governmentalorganizations,academia,andtheprivatesectortoaccelerateaworldsafeandsecurefrominfectiousdiseasethreatsthroughprevention,detection,andresponsetopublichealththreats.

NextGenerationmemberswerealsoinattendanceattheministerialmeeting.NextGenhadseveralpaneldiscussions,sidesessions,andpresentationsfromdifferentspeakers,includingtheNextGenerationChairProfessorJamechiaHoyleandDr.NeunghooPark,KoreanMinisterofHealth&WelfareandcurrentchairofGHSA,aboutthewayforwardforGHSAbeyond2018.Topicsincluded:

• ProcessofJEEEvaluationsanddevelopingabettersystem.• Multisectoralcollaborations• Partnerships• Trackingcommitments

Page|16

• ExpansionofSteeringGroupmembership

TheJEEevaluationshavebeencompletedinover52countriesasofJuly21,2017.UgandawasapplaudedforcompletingtheJEEprocesssuccessfullytoassesstheircapacitytoprevent,detect,andrespondtopublichealthemergenciesinthe19technicalareas,usingtheIHRcorecapacities.TheJEEprocessisavoluntaryprocessthatneedstobeembracedbyallnationsifglobalhealthsecurityistobeachieved.TheJEEevaluations,characterizedbyhonestyandtransparency,enablecountriestosettheirownbenchmarksinthedifferenttechnicalareas.ThisagencybetterenablescountriestoestablishsystemstoinlinewiththeIHRguidelines.

Themultisectoralapproachneedstobeadoptedacrossallthesectorsbygovernmentsinresponsetopublichealthemergencies.ItrequiresajointeffortofallgovernmentministriesrangingfromtheMinistryofHealth,Agriculture,Defence,EnvironmentandWildlifeincollaborationwithnon-governmentalorganizationsandtheprivatesectortoformaneffectiveresponseteam.Inmyview,themultisectoralapproachconferstheadvantageofeachsectorbeingutilizedwhilerespondingtopublichealthemergencies.Forexample,IwouldexpecttheMinistryofDisasterandPreparednesstotaketheleadincollaborationwithothersectorsandstakeholderstoaddresstheproblemoflandslidesandnottheMinistryofHealth.

PartnershipsarefundamentaliftheGHSAobjectivesaretobeachievedgloballytoaddressglobalhealthsecurity.Expansionofpartnershipswillbeachievedbyengagingdifferentstakeholdersinvolvedinglobalheathsecuritybothlocallyandinternationally.Governmentsneedtopartnerwithothergovernments,governmentministrieswithotherministries,governmentswithnon-governmentalorganizationsandtheprivatesector.Partnershipsformastrongercollaborationthatenablesaccesstolimitedresourcesbydevelopingcountriesfromdevelopedcountriestoaddresspublichealthemergencies.

Trackingcommitmentswasanothertopicdiscussedinbreakoutsessions.CountriesthatarealreadyGHSAmembersneedtobeaccountablebypublicizingfundsutilizedforglobalhealthsecurity.Thepracticepromotestransparency,effectivecoordinationamongthedifferentsectors,andproperallocationofresources.TheWHOIHRtoolenablestheidentificationofgapstocreatemutualunderstandingofwhatshouldaddressedtoavoidduplicationoffundinvestmentbydifferentinvestorsonthesameproject.SharingofsuccessstoriesabouttheGHSAexperienceisalsoimportanttoprovidelessonslearnt,whichcanencourageothernationstobecomeGHSAmembers.

ThesteeringgroupforGHSAunanimouslyagreedtoextendtheGHSAforfiveyearsbeyond2018.TheRepublicofKoreawasthesteeringgroupchair,withCanada,Indonesia,FinlandandtheUnitedStatesasmembers.TheadvisorstomemberstatesincludedtheWorldHealthOrganization,theFoodandAgriculture

Page|17

OrganizationoftheUnitedNations,theWorldOrganizationforAnimalHealth,theInternationalVaccineInstitute,andtheWorldBank.TheRepublicofKoreawillexpanditspartnershipwiththeUnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment,theWorldHealthOrganization,andtheUnitedNationsChildren’sFundtoenableeffectiveimplementationoftheGHSA.ThechairoftheGHSAencouragedmembercountriestoincludetheJEEevaluationoutcomesintheirnationalplanning.HealsorecommendedthatthemembershipofthesteeringgroupbeexpandedandthatinvitationsbeextendedtocountriesthathavenotjoinedtheGHSAmembershiptoensureglobalsecurityforall.

TheministerialconferencewasverygoodandIenjoyedthediscussionsacrossthedifferentsectors.Itmadealotofsensewhyweneedamultisectoralcollaborationinaddressingpublichealthemergencies.Justasthesayinggoes“AloneIcandolittle,togetherwecandomuch.”IfallnationsjointheGHSAmembershipandembracetheIHRguidelines,thentheworldwillachieveglobalhealthsecurity.

StephenTaylor–GeorgeMasonUniversity

Financing,Building,andEvaluatingHealthSecurityCapacityatthe4thHighLevelGlobalHealthSecurityMinisterialMeetinginKampala,Uganda

I’mcurrentlyaMasterofBiodefenseCandidateatGeorgeMasonUniversity.IcametotheprogramaftercompletingmyBachelorofScienceinBiologyandservingasaPeaceCorpsVolunteerfortwoyearsinnorthernMozambique.Iwasfortunatetoattendthe4thHighLevelGlobalHealthSecurityMinisterialMeetinginKampala,UgandawiththeNextGenerationGHSANetwork.

TheGHSAMeetingbroughttogetherministerialofficials,privatestakeholders,academics,andcommunityleadersfromaroundtheworldtodiscussthefutureoftheGlobalHealthSecurityAgenda,anall-hazardsapproachtoinfectiousdiseasethreatsthatemphasizesrobustprevention,earlydetection,andrapid,effectiveresponse.EmbeddedinthismilieuweretheNextGenerationGHSANetworkRepresentatives,agroupofyounghealthsecurityprofessionalsincludingpublichealthpractitioners,policyexperts,andlaboratoryscientistsfromplacesasdiverseasUganda,Kenya,Tanzania,Kazakhstan,Pakistan,Canada,andtheUnitedStates.Iwasimpressedbythereceptivityofgloballeaderstotheyoungprofessionalsintheirpresence.NextGenmembershadampleopportunities,formalandinformal,throughoutthemeetingtospeakwithpeoplelikeDr.BrendaFitzgerald,CDCDirector,Dr.TimEvans,SeniorDirectorofHealth,Nutrition,andPopulationattheWorldBank,andYoweriMuseveni,PresidentofUgandaaboutthefutureofhealthsecurity.

TheGHSAmeetingheavilyemphasizedtheneedtomovetheburdenofhealthsecuritycapacitybuildingbeyondthehealthsectorandpromoteintersectoralcooperation.Tothisend,themeetingfeaturedmultiplesessionsonhowtorethinkhealthsecurityfinancing.UgandanMinisterofFinance,Planning,andEconomicDevelopmentMatiaKasaijaemphasizedthefactthattheWorldBank

Page|18

usuallydisbursesdevelopmentfundstoministersoffinance,whohavetodisburselimitedfundsbetweencompetingministries.Inordertogetministersoffinanceonboardtosufficientlyfundpandemicpreparedness,theremustbeanintersectoralconsensusonitsprioritization.Furthercomplicatinghealthsecurityfinancing,isthefactthatitisamultilevelendeavorinvolvinginternationalorganizations,theprivatesector,foundations,countries,andmunicipalities.Thequestionofhowtoalignmessagingtoallofthesestakeholderstohavethemappreciatetheimportanceofhealthsecurityhangsstarklyoverthisnascentfield.

Themeetingalsoputasharpfocusonthefutureofevaluation.TheJointExternalEvaluations(JEE),developedbytheWorldHealthOrganizationandimplementedwithsupportfromGHSAcountries,areanevaluationtoolthatprovidesbenchmarksfordevelopinghealthsecuritycapacitiesandcapabilities.AtasessionofJEEAlliancecountries,SusanCorning,TeamLeaderoftheJEESecretariat,highlightedtheimportanceofsettingtargetsbasedonrobusthealthoutcomes,beingbothambitiousandrealistic,notcreatingmoredatareportingburdens,andkeepingmetricsfocusedontheGHSAagenda.Dr.HenrickOrnell,SeniorAdvisortotheFoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations,pushedbackonthisfinalobjective,statingthatnarrowlyfocusedmetricsmaybealienating.Keepingwiththeintersectoraltoneoftheconference,headvisedtheJEEcounciltokeepaOneHealthperspectiveinclusiveofhuman,animal,andenvironmentalissuesintheJEEtoolinordertokeepagreaterdiversityofstakeholdersinvolvedintheGHSA.

InthefinalplenarysessionoftheGHSAMeeting,theGHSASteeringCommitteeannounceditsdecisiontoextendtheGlobalHealthSecurityAgendathrough2024.Asanupandcomingglobalhealthsecurityprofessional,Iwasheartenedtoseesuchbroad-basedsupportfortheGHSAinitiativeacrosstheinternationalcommunity,theprivatesector,and,closertohome,fromtheTrumpAdministration.TheKampalaGHSAMeetingwasaninspirationformetoworklocallytofacilitatethisglobalagenda.I’mcurrentlyworkingwithAnthonyFalzarano,Dr.JamechiaHoyle,andDr.GregKoblentztoestablishachapteroftheNextGenerationGHSANetworkatGeorgeMasonUniversity.Together,wehopetofosterthesameenthusiasmforhealthsecurityintheWashington,D.C.areathatweexperiencedinKampala.

AshleyTseng –McGillUniversity,Canada

Iattendedthe2017GlobalHealthSecurityAgenda(GHSA)MinisterialMeetinginKampala,UgandawiththeprimarypurposeofpresentingaproposalIhadsubmittedforthejointNuclearThreatInitiativeandNextGenerationGlobalHealthSecurityNetworkcompetitiononBiosecurityinlateAugust.IamcompletingmyfourthyearofundergradatMcGillUniversity,majoringinPhysical(Health)GeographyandminoringinEconomics.IaminterestedingainingexpertiseandadvancedknowledgeintheGlobalPublicHealthsectoroftheprofessionalworld,primarilyfocusedonHealthSecurity,seekingtomakecommunitiesmoreresilienttoepidemicsanddisasters.IplantopursuegraduatestudiesinthefieldofEpidemiology,specificallyresearchinginfectiousdiseasesandenvironmental

Page|19

health.Thisyear’sGHSAmeetingtheme,“HealthSecurityForAll:EngagingCommunities,Non-GovernmentalOrganizations,andthePrivateSector”alignedwellwithmyinterestsinthecrossbetweenglobalhealthsecurity,populationhealth,andindustry.

Hon.OkelloOryem,theMinisterofStateforForeignAffairsofUganda,wasthemoderatorforthesessiontitled“ThebusinesscaseforinvestinginGHSAatthecountrylevel:Howtoengagetheprivatesectorincontributingtohealthsecurityforall?”withDr.AlanTennenberg,theChiefMedicalOfficeratJohnson&JohnsonGlobalPublicHealthastheprimaryspeaker

Dr.TennenbergbeganthesessionbyreflectingonhispersonalexperiencesinthebusinesssectorwhenattemptingtorecruitotherbusinessesororganizationsinfundingGHSAprograms.Emphasizinghowmanylocalbusinesses,communities,andorganizationsmaynotbefamiliarwiththeGHSA,itbecameclearthathewouldhavetoexplainwhatGHSAistoeverybusinesshetalkedto.Why,then,didDr.TennenbergcontinueonhiscampaigntoenlistmoreandmoreprivatesectorbusinessesfortheGHSAcause?Heunderstoodthatthereisanimportanceofscalingupprivatesectorinvolvementwhenevaluatingandworkingtoimprovecountrystandardssince,attheendoftheday,programimplementationiscontingentontheavailabilityoffunds.

TohelpsupporttheGHSA,thePrivateSectorRoundtable(PSRT)mobilizesindustrytoassistcountriesintheprevention,detection,andresponsetohealth-relatedcrises,whilealsostrengtheningsystemsforhealthsecurity.ThePSRTgoesbeyondthetraditionaldonationmodel:itofferstechnicalexpertiseandbringsmoretothetablethansimplyfinancialassistance.Dr.TennenbergunderscoredthattobetterengagethePSRT,wefirstneedtoidentifythegreatestneedstoseewhereandwhichworkstreamsneedimprovement.InthePSRT,therearethesixworkinggroups:(1)SupplyChainandLogistics,(2)PolicyDevelopment&Advocacy,(3)WorkforceDevelopment,(4)Partnerships,(5)TechnologyandAnalytics,and(6)AntimicrobialResistance.TheTechnology&AnalyticsWorkingGroup,whichisheadedbyIntelCorporation,recentlydevelopedanonlineapplicationtotrackandviewtheJointExternalEvaluation(JEE)scoringforeachcountry.Thetoolisnotmeanttocomparecountries,butforcountriestolookattheirscoresindetail.ThedatacontainedinthedetailedJEEreportsisnowavailabletobevisualizedininteractivecharts,graphs,andmaps,makingiteasiertocompareacountry’shealthsecuritycapabilitiesovertimeandidentifygapsandopportunitiesforimprovement.Thistoolisjustoneexampleofhowincreasedcollaborationamongsectors(government,research,veterinary,andnowprivate)isacceleratingprogresssubstantiallyandcanhelpcountriesbetterachievetheirGHSAstandards.