US commits to global health agenda
The agenda aims to tackle threats to global health security.
The fight against infectious disease has been bolstered by a Global Health Security Agenda, which has seen more than 25 countries join forces.
Over the next five years, the US government has committed to work with at least 30 partner countries to tackle threats to global health security.
The agenda focuses on four key areas - prevention, detection, responding and addressing needs.
This will involve preventing the emergence and spread of drug resistant organisms and emerging zoonotic disease, promoting biosecurity systems and protecting populations from pandemic threats, loss of life and economic loss.
The US Department of Defense and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will work with other agencies and nations to establish emergency operations centres, build information systems and strengthen laboratory security. This effort will be expanded to 10 additional partner nations during 2014.
As part of a collaboration with Mexico and Canada, the US will also implement protocols during 2014 for sharing information among the health, security, agriculture and foreign affairs sectors.
Also this year, the US Department of Agriculture will join forces wit OIE, FAO and other nations in order to detect, diagnose and manage dangerous animal diseases in high-risk and affected countries.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
