An infectious disease threat anywhere can be a threat everywhere. Epidemic prone infectious disease threats are increasing due to a variety of factors, including rising incomes and globalization. Population growth, migration and deforestation have brought people closer to animal reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, increasing the opportunity for pathogens to cross between animals and humans.

The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) was established to bolster country-level capacity to prevent, detect and respond to future outbreaks and prevent epidemics.

In 2017, there were more than 25 reported public health emergencies in U.S.-assisted GHSA countries. Partner countries detected, led the response to, and contained outbreaks, including dengue fever in Burkina Faso and the Marburg virus in Uganda, by using the improved capacities built with the help of the United States and other GHSA partners. USAID's broad-base development programs have helped to build capacity in countries to train the next generation of health care workers, strengthen community-based surveillance and improve long-term capabilities to prevent, detect and respond to outbreaks.

Read how USAID is tackling these challenges:

• Read the report: Implementing the Global Health Security Agenda: Progress and Impact from U.S. Government Investments [PDF, 4.1MB]
• Read a blog by USAID's Richard Greene: Preventing the Next Outbreak
• Check out more on the multilateral GHSA initiative on Global Health Security
• Read Southeast Asia Samples Bats, Pigs and People to Track New Viruses

Photo credits: Patrick Adams/RTI; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Global Health Protection (CDC DGHP), Cote D’Ivoire; FAO Guinea