The Lancet Group’s Post

Based on #TheGuardian the interim director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention Maria Van Kerkhove at the World Health Organization is concerned about the bird flu situation. Although the virus is not spreading human to human there have been an increasing number of human infections in the past year. She underlines that the ability to properly assess the risk “depends on the detection, the sequencing, the transparency of countries to collaborate in the next pandemic”. Essentially here lays and the dimension or #equality (for instance equal access to vaccination at a global scale) to deal and get prepared for the next pandemic. #pandemic #Preparedness #Healthcare

The US has been doing valuable work to build Global Health Security around the world. This work has helped countries help themselves by improving surveillance for new epidemics and countries’ response capacities, building emergency management and critical health workforce, and strengthening biosafety and biosecurity, among other important goals. When countries are better prepared for epidemics and emergencies, it decreases their risks, and it also decreases the risks of huge problems spilling across regions, or into the US. All of this lowers the risk that the US economy or other economies will suffer from the shocks of future infectious disease emergencies. This work also creates partnerships and good will for the US in countries around the world at a time when that itself is such a valuable contribution. Great to see the results of this work and important to plan for continued engagement in the time ahead. https://lnkd.in/eSxd7a2K

“If we’re truly to achieve good health for all and end the burden of major infectious diseases, we have to work together to understand, and react to, the ever-changing landscape. Together, we must adapt more quickly than ever before.” In our latest Behind the Science, GSK’s chief global health officer, Thomas Breuer, MD, MSc, shares his thoughts on how we can tackle two of biggest threats to global health progress – the effects of climate change on health as well as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – and how we must work together to get things back on track: https://gsk.to/4e1Hcun #WHA77 #HealthForAll

In a warming world, rising temperatures and changing weather patterns are impacting people's health and altering the geographical distribution of many vector-borne diseases. As Professor Salomon points out, the World Health Organization recently released a scoping review highlighting the urgent need for more data on climate change, #malaria & NTDs – such data is vital to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change on these diseases. You can learn more about the scoping review here: https://lnkd.in/d3ijJMqs. WHO is also developing a policy brief aimed at addressing the evidence gap and guiding future actions and investments.

FP Health Forum @ UNGA79 Complex threats like climate change, emerging and drug-resistant diseases, and widening economic disparities are intensifying pressure on global health systems and compromising access to medical care. Join the FP Health Forum @ UNGA79 for a series of discussions on mitigating these threats, enhancing healthcare access, and strengthening system resilience to ensure global health security.

#CLIMATE #CHANGE IMPACT ON #NTDs: People, infective agents, #vectors, food and commodities are moving in an interconnected world. Environmental conditions influence pathogen transmission, reproduction, development and genetics; the reproduction, development, genetics, behavior, range, longevity, predation of vectors; intermediate hosts and reservoir hosts; feasibility and effectiveness of intervention   Strong and quick climate change is exposing political, technical and operational vulnerabilities in the world’s collective ability to safeguard health and well-being and prevent, detect, and respond to diverse health risks as those posed by #malaria and NTDs     Direct effects caused by rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns are altering the shared environments of people, animals and microorganisms, we need a #OneHealth approach! This can be observed clearly with shifting habitats of vectors, which is influencing the direction and magnitude of #disease #transmission    Climate change and resulting severe weather events accentuate the impact of many socioeconomic and environmental risk factors associated with malaria and NTDs. Climate change intersects with other challenges to people’s health and well-being, such as #conflict, #migration, #food insecurity and livelihoods. The poorest and most vulnerable communities, already disproportionately affected by malaria and NTDs, are likely to bear the brunt of these changes   We have seen this in recent extreme weather events and the devastating effects on #people and #health systems in West and Central #Africa, #Sudan and #Pakistan to mention a few    The #scientific understanding of the links between climate and health is continually growing. However, a recent scoping review by World Health Organization’s Task Team on Climate Change, NTDs, and Malaria, shows that there remains a lack of comprehensive evidence on the impact of climate change on these diseases, particularly in low-income countries with high disease burdens    More geospatial #data regarding the impact of climate effects on malaria and NTDs, and the evidence to support adaptation, are urgently needed from higher transmission settings where #healthcare delivery is limited    As we gather here at the World Health Summit, there is a role for all of us to play to mitigate the effects of this complex climate #crisis on health and wellbeing of especially #vulnerable populations around the world, we need #innovation and #research, new adapted #treatments and #vaccines   The time to act is now! By leveraging WHO’s leadership and convening power, we can build #resilient, #equitable, and #sustainable health systems capable of adapting to the challenges posed by a changing climate, #UHC, #PHC. This includes disease control, surveillance systems and alternative approaches to implementation. With concerted impactful sustainable efforts, we can protect the most vulnerable populations and secure the health gains achieved over the past decades

On 9th May, Abt Global, USAID, Gryphon Scientific LLC, and IntelliSOFT Consulting Ltd will discuss emerging digital solutions for global health security and explore how the global community can safely adopt innovations. There is an unprecedented opportunity to leverage digital innovation in health security solutions to detect outbreaks early, track disease spread, and coordinate effective interventions on a global scale. Leveraging emerging technologies to enhance surveillance, response, and prevention mechanisms is crucial to respond to the constant threat of emerging diseases, pandemics, and biological hazards and strengthen global health security. Register here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eTCk9NCr #GlobalHealthSecurity #DigitalInnovation #GlobalHealth

We are witnessing a concerning development in global health as a new outbreak of the enigmatic 'Disease X' expands, prompting the World Health Organization to deploy a rapid response team to the Democratic Republic of Congo. This situation highlights the urgency of addressing unidentified diseases and reinforces the importance of preparedness and swift action in the face of emerging health threats. For an in-depth look at the current status of the outbreak and the efforts being made to contain it, I encourage you to read the full article here: https://ift.tt/BOMlsz1. Stay informed and engaged as we navigate these challenging times in public health.

Global Health Alert: HMPV Outbreak Highlights One Health Imperative The recent HMPV surge in China underscores our interconnected health ecosystem. This respiratory virus isn’t just a regional or local challenge—it’s a global reminder that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply intertwined. Why One Health Matters Now More Than Ever? Because.. • Viruses don’t respect geographical boundaries • Based on reports, ~75% of emerging infectious diseases originate from animal-human interfaces • Climate change accelerates pathogen transmission and mutation and this is a great concern It is imperative to have: • Integrated surveillance systems • Interdisciplinary research and collaboration • Rapid global response mechanisms • Proactive pandemic prevention strategies Key learnings from recent outbreak in China: • HMPV demonstrates how quickly respiratory pathogens can spread • Early detection requires holistic, interconnected health monitoring • Collaborative international scientific networks are our strongest defense Our collective health security depends on breaking traditional siloed approaches. By embracing One Health principles, we transform potential global health threats into opportunities for innovative, coordinated responses. Its isnt about just managing diseases—rather building a resilient, adaptive global health ecosystem. #OneHealth #GlobalHealth #EmergingDiseases #HealthSecurity #PandemicPreparedness #InfectiousDiseases #PublicHealth #GlobalSolidarity Views are personal.

Despite major advances in medicine and technology, the world remains poorly prepared for even modest epidemic threats. We've seen this countless times in the past two decades - H1N1, MERS, Zika, SARS, COVID-19, M-Pox... A country’s technical, financial, social-economic and political capacity to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to epidemics plays a pivotal role in ensuring that these outbreaks are contained and stabilized before they can inflict the global community. But equally as important, the collaboration amongst countries. Faster, more transparent information sharing, global cooperation and equity-centered responses are necessary, more so now than ever as disparities between the Global North and South continue to widen. Looking forward to seeing the outputs of the the upcoming World Health Assembly and the hopeful advancement of the Pandemic Treaty.