The White House has released the United States Government Global Health Security Strategy, which “outlines the United States Government’s approach to strengthen global health security, including accelerating the capabilities of targeted countries to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.”

The importance of this Global Health Security Strategy goes beyond protecting human lives, as infectious diseases can threaten a nation’s economy, trade capabilities, and even food supply. Outbreaks of infectious disease will not observe national borders, and are blind to race, class, and social standing. The spread of infectious disease anywhere on the planet has the potential to endanger the health and prosperity of the United States, thus strengthening global health security will continue to be in the best interest of national security.

For the United States, the approach for global health security centers around three key goals:

• Goal 1: Strengthened Partner Country Global Health Security Capacities;
• Goal 2: Increased International Support for Global Health Security; and
• Goal 3: A Homeland Prepared for and Resilient against Global Health Security Threats.

The Global Health Security Strategy will continue evolve and implement better practices, as the document highlights the progress of the strategy to date, and lessons learned so far.

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